Harry Potter and the Unicorns Horn
by Glee-chan
Summary: Harry Potter finds himself in a dangerous situation this year at Hogwarts, but this time it has nothing to do with Voldemort. Now he is the middle of a battle of affections from all his female admirers. This takes place in an alternate timeline of book6
1. Chapter 1

Harry Potter and the Unicorn's Horn

by

Glee-chan

This is a fan fiction based on the J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe. I do not take claim to own any characters, places, and magical objects that are not original. Most characters are the property of Rowling, and I do not intend to make money off of this fan fiction, merely just writing for fun. I don't have a million dollars to fork over, thus does not want any legal action to be taken. The events in this story take place in a Book 6 alternate timeline

Chapter One

Harry Potter woke up late at night on a July evening at Number 4 on Privet Drive, blinking through what seemed like a fogged filled room. His eyes still not adjusted to the sudden awareness, burned slightly as he pushed himself from his laying down position to that of a groggy sitting one. What woke him up he was not all that sure of, but the after a few seconds of looking lazily around his room, he soon realized that it was his birthday once again.

Harry grumbled and laid back down in his bed. There was no real reason from him to be excited, there never really was. The only time he remembered having a birth worth celebrating was when his dear friend Hagrid had rescued him from the Dursleys on his eleventh birthday and took him to his true home: Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Dursleys only tolerated him because he was the child of Petunia's dead sister, thus never really treated him as a son, much less ever gave him a decent birthday. Not that it mattered anyway. Harry never had a decent birthday. He thought that it was no loss since he never experienced a true birthday.

Harry continued to lay there in his bed thinking of these things. His past was more colorful than that of any normal soon to be sixteen year old. Even compared to those in the wizard community. Not every child parents were murdered by the most dangerous wizard Lord Voldemort, then were attempted to be killed themselves. Not every child was famous for being the only person to ever survive Lord Voldemort's Avanda Kedavara - The Killing Curse, and receiving a lightning shaped scar on their forehead as a reminder of the incident. If that wasn't enough, not every child interfered with Voldemort's plan four times, and lived to tell about it. Harry truly was a legend in his own time. At least in the Wizard world.

In the Muggle world, the non-magic world, he was nothing more than an orphan child that no one liked or cared to bother liking. While he was famous and had lots of friends at Hogwarts, he was relatively invisible to the Muggles and had no friends what-so-ever. As can be imagined, Harry hated living with his Aunt and Uncle during the summers when he was not at Hogwarts but the ironic fact was that he was safer from the returned Lord Voldemort living under the same roof as Aunt Petunia.

He looked at the clock and realized that half an hour had past since he woke up and realized that he had just turned sixteen. He could not believe he laid there thinking about stuff he had thought before endlessly over and over again for a half an hour while he could have been sleeping. Harry lowered his eyebrows and closed his eyes tightly, as if that would help him get to sleep. Unfortunately his mind began pondering other things that he had pondered before.

Harry grumbled, having turning these thoughts in his mind constantly, the subject was boring to him. It was the only thing that occupied his brain though. There was absolutely nothing he could do on Privet Drive. Over the summer, had entertained himself by reading his old text books and the Wizard Newspaper The Daily Prophet. All of which seemed to annoy Uncle Vernon who wanted nothing to do with the magic world. Still Harry did this in his room, so that his family would not have to see him doing such "rubbish."

The mulling over of these thoughts suddenly jerked out of his mind when his body literally jerked out of bed. He was not the only one, objects in his room fell over to the ground as well. There came with these sudden happenings a low thunder sound in the earth, and the sound of his pig like cousin Dudley also falling from his bed. Shouts came from Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's room as more things in the house seemed to have rattled out of place.

"The bastard child, practicing magic I bet!" Uncle Vernon's voice came from the hallway this time, advancing towards his room. Harry would have gotten up but more trimmers came along in another wave. The sound of his uncle falling was nearly drowned out by the noise of the thunder sounding from the earth.

The door to his room opened after awhile, as the trimmer continued, as if coming in waves. Some stronger than others. Uncle Vernon was supporting himself against Harry's door jam. "Stop whatever the hell you're doing, boy!"

"I-It's not me!" Harry shouted back at him, trying to get his voice heard over the thundering sounds.

"oppycock! Lies! Of course it's you!" Uncle Vernon shouted again, his face turning a shade of purple from anger and frustration. "Who ever heard of earthquakes like this in England!"

"I don't know what's happening…" Harry stated, but as he said this the house shook again. The sound of Petunia falling over in the hallway was heard shortly afterwards.

Vernon, who seemed to have forgotten about Harry for a second, exited out of his room to aid his wife. Harry could hear all three of the Dursley family talking to each other, though over the noise he could not make head or tail of what they were saying. Then Dudley poked his pink face into the door. "Hey Pot-head, we're going into the cupboard under the stairs!"

Harry smiled as Dudley rolled away from the door. He knew all to well of the cupboard under the stairs. That USED to be his room. The smile soon faded as the house shook a once again, sending his lamp off his night stand (which he was surprised later that it did not fall off before) crashing a million pieces on his black haired head. Harry could literally see stars floating around the already shaking room. Before he blacked out from the blow, Harry saw a tickle of blood drop drown from his head marking the spot where he'd hit the floor seconds later.

Harry's black out did not last for long. The continuing tremors , the house shaking objects off walls and tables onto the floor woke him up with a start. He attempted to stand up but was only forced back on the floor again. The blood that was gushing from his head seemed to have stopped, and the blood that had dripped on his face had a dried where it was when he blacked out.

A look in the mirror, Harry had a fleeting thought that he looked much like Two-face, with dried blood on one side of his face. Then he looked beyond his own image and saw someone else standing, as best they could, in his room. The figure of a girl he well knew, and one of his best friends: Hermione Granger. Stunned Harry turned around and saw that he was not imagining things.

"Hermione…" Harry blinked.

"Oh, Harry. Your face… are you all right?" She leaned against his bed for support in her standing position.

"Looks worse than it actually is." Harry said quickly and took the momentary stop of shaking to stand to his feet. "What are you doing here?" He asked quickly not meaning to be rude but knew if she was here and these earthquakes were happening, it had to something magic related.

While he was asking that, she was looking around his room, as though she were searching for something, without moving. Harry made his way over towards her. "Is there anything you're looking for Hermione?"

"Oh – Um, no. I was just looking. That isn't odd is it?" She looked at him with a strange look that he never really seen from her before, but having not seen that look from her before he didn't know what it meant.

"I suppose not. Listen here Hermione, what's going on? Why are all these trimmers happening? Is that why you're here?"

"Err- yeah actually I am here to collect you." She said simply. "The shaking is from magic battles, Harry. You-Know-Who and the Aurors have been battling for weeks. The Ministry of Magic has been having trouble keeping the battles away from Muggle areas."

Harry was glad he finally got some answers from the pre-occupied Hermione, who still looked around his room, and kept giving him that strange look. He shook his head and went for his closet and pulled out his trunk, that he had packed with all his Hogwarts supplies. Hermione, after just standing there looking at him blankly for a second jumped and started to clumsily help him.

"How was your summer …err… other than the war?" Harry tried to get Hermione talking. For the first time in his life he felt awkward around her. She was acting not herself.

"It was pretty much dull up till this point. Although I'd rather it be dull than to be battling against You-Know-Who.."

"Hermione, I thought you were over all this 'You-Know-Who' business…" Harry said out of frustration, mostly from being confused by the way she was acting.

"Oh - Yeah, sorry. Bad habit. V-Voldemort." She said, but the last part came out rather softly and more shaky than she had ever said it before.

Harry decided to ignore it. He wondered why he was being brought out of his house early and what the Weasleys where up too. He even wondered how the members of his DA (Dumbledore's Army) students were. He wondered if Hermione was acting on orders from the Order of the Phoenix, or Dumbledore himself. But asking questions to Hermione seemed like pulling teeth, so he thought it best to wait and ask question to where ever he was going.

"Harry - is this about it?" Hermione looked at all the stuff clustered that he had collected around him.

"Yes. I guess that's it. " He looked at the trunk, which had his owl, Hedwig, and her cage on top of it. "Mind if I ask how we're going to get out of here?"

Hermione pulled what looked like a frying pan from her robe and tossed it on his bed. "It's a portkey. Enchanted of course. Only the two of us can travel it, and we have to use the password." She said after looking at Harry's bewildered look. "I got it from Professor Dumbledore." She again gave Harry that weird look she had given him before.

"Dumbledore? So he sent you? Where are we going?" Harry could not resist. His thirst for knowledge of the magic world had increased since his summer long exile.

"Oh - um, well we are going to a safe house … of a .. err… a well established Wizard family. Professor Dumbledore did send me, and he said that he'll be along to explain things to you- us. To tell you the truth, my knowledge is pretty limited."

Harry nodded and looked at the port-key at which Hermione had been looking at the whole time. It seemed that almost every time she looked at him, that look came to her eyes again. Then after some silence, while waiting for the portal to open up, decided to ask another question. "Is Ron and his family going to be there?"

"Sooner or later…I would imagine." She said quickly again, then bit her lower lip.

Harry sighed heavily, wondering what she was hiding from him, and why it was so hard that she had to not even look at him anymore. But before he could think more of this the pan emitted a small blue light. The instant that this happened, Hermione grabbed his hand and jumped for the port-key, grabbing onto it. Then making sure that Harry had an arm on his things, she spoke "Explosive Lemon-drop!" The portal took them in a blink of an eye into a well furnished living room of what looked like a huge house.

The instant they appeared in the living room of what looked to Harry like a mansion, Hermione let go of his hand and turned her back towards him, almost shyly. Harry decided that instead of racking his brain over the behavior of women he was look closer in the room they had appeared in.

Aside from the his school things that were cluttered where they had appeared, it looked as though every piece of furniture was well decorated, fine, and ornate. It was the kind of place that one would keep their hands in their pockets just in case their hand went spastic and accidentally broke something.

On the wall there were pictures of wizards and witch that were from that family, all were elderly and Asian looking. It then occurred to him why Hermione was acting strangely about everything. This place had to be Cho Chang's house. Hermione knew that he really liked her, but last year at Hogwarts they had a chance to actually to go out on a couple of dates, but their relation always seemed to end up with fights.

Even though Harry had a good idea where he was at he decided to ask Hermione if this was Cho's house, just to sure. "Err- Hermione, is this Cho Chang's house?" He asked in a soft voice thinking that Cho could be anywhere and he did not want her to see him acting paranoid and stupid.

Hermione turned around, her eyebrows lowered and pointed toward the wall his back was on. On the wall there was a picture of Cho on her broomstick playing Quidditch, a wizard form of hockey, but with broomsticks. He looked at her picture a minute remembering how pretty she was, the picture only seemed to punch him in the head of how things ended last year.

"Harry?" Hermione voice came from behind him. "Things didn't work out the way you wanted them too, did they?"

Harry turned around sighing heavily, wondering slightly why Hermione was interested in his lack of love life. He shrugged figuring that it was a girl thing to want to know about those sorts of things. "You can say that. I told you about a billion times that I don't understand girls."

Hermione gave a small quiet laugh, which sounded a bit forced. "Well I'm pretty sure that girls don't understand boys."

"You don't have to try to cheer me up." Harry sulked. "You told me last year that she was jealous of you or something. I don't know if that's true or not. All I know is that it ended badly."

Hermione was quiet for a while. Then after a while of silence she asked quickly. "You don't like me in that way…do you?"

Harry nearly fell over on that question. Though Hermione had become one of the prettiest girls in Gryffindor, he only saw her as a best friend, and he thought she felt the same way about him, and knew how he felt. "Err - well you know Hermione. I mean you're my friend. I'm not saying that, uh, that you aren't like, uh…I mean … uh, no I never thought about you that way."

Harry hoped that he wouldn't suddenly get slapped of stuttering over that. This question he asked only confirmed his belief that he had no clue what happened in girls heads. Hermione, to his relief smiled happily, almost as if she were going to dance. On one side he was glad Hermione was not asking awkward questions, but on the other side he felt a bit insulted that she seemed a little too happy that he was not interested in her in that way.

"Why'd you ask?" Harry then said after a while of feeling huffy.

"No reason." She said quickly, then smiled even more.

Harry rubbed his forehead, his fingers tracing around his scar. All this was giving him a slight headache. Then the thought came to his mind that he had been in Cho's house and no one had came to greet them. It was as if the house was empty. Hermione did not say anything about them being there with out the Chang family.

Before he got the chance to ask her where everyone was Hermione coughed some what. Harry looked at her and saw her face turned a bit greenish color. Rushing over to her he tried to help her to the nearest crimson sofa, but she shook him off and ran out of the room with her hand on her mouth. Harry followed her up to the point where she ran into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

"Hermione… you all right?" Harry asked the most stupid question in the world. He wondered if portal traveling had a delayed reaction on her and she was just now feeling sick.

An all assortment of gagging and grunting noises came from the bathroom, even some sounds of object being knocked over. Worried Harry waited outside the bathroom door, but Hermione wouldn't answer him. Even when the noises stopped she did not say anything, much less open the door.

It seemed like an hour or so that he was standing out there in front of the bathroom door, wondering if she dyed in there or was so hurt she needed help. He wondered if he should force his way through the door, being an underage wizard he was not positive if he could not cast a spell to unlock it without punishment. Before he made up his mind to tell her he was coming in, he heard foot steps behind him.

Turning around he saw that of the tall shadowy figure of Professor Snape. Two reactions happened when he saw his most dreaded teacher at Hogwarts. He was relieved to see some one who could use magic to open the door and help check on Hermione, and the other was a mutual contempt that both felt towards each other. However he knew that Snape would help him if another was in danger.

"rofessor - Hermione's in there. She's been ill for a long time, I'm worried she might be hurt." Harry said in a rush.

Snape narrowed his dark eyes at Harry and glanced at the door slightly. "What are you talking about Potter?"

"Hermione…she's hurt. She ran in there and I thought I heard her fall down." Harry tried again.

Snape looked suspiciously at him, then at the door that was indeed locked. "Granger. Are you in need of assistance?"

Nothing came from the door.

"Ms. Granger, this is Professor Snape. I am coming in if there is no reply. Now do you need assistance."

"Leave me alone." Came the muffled voice inside.

Snape glanced at Harry then looked at the door again. "Just how long as she been in there Potter?"

"About an hour or so." Harry said, then looked at near by clock to see if he was correct. "Maybe a bit less." He added sheepishly.

"Ms. Granger, are you decent."

"Don't come in here."

"Are you decent, Ms. Granger!" Snape was losing tolerance.

"Yes- err- No!" came the reply.

"Which is it?" Snape asked again.

No reply.

Snape cursed under his breath and started to walk away. Harry followed him, looking angrily at him. "You can't just leave her in there."

"I intend on doing no such thing, Potter." Snape grumbled. "Ms. Chang!" he shouted.

So Cho was in the house. Harry's skin suddenly dropped temperature and regained it just as suddenly, giving him a cold shiver. Cho was there the whole time. What if she heard him and Hermione talking about her, and was angry at him again. Harry sighed, yet again, trying to compare the need of Hermione to be well or seeing an angry Cho.

"Chang!" Snape called again. After no response he looked at Harry. "where did she go after she brought you here?"

"What?"

"Hurry up, Potter. Your dim mind is trying at times, but now isn't the time."

Potter gritted his teeth, feeling a surge of heat boiling his blood with anger. "Cho DIDN'T bring me here, it was HERMIONE!"

Snape gave a small smirk. "Mind your temper, Mr. Potter."

Harry didn't even look at him. Snape turned back towards the bathroom, with Harry following shortly behind him. Once he reached the door, Snape pulled out from his robe his dark wand. He pointed it towards the door, then tapped it on the handle speaking silently: "Alohomora!" The spell unlocked the door instantly. Snape nudged the door open with his foot reviling the girl laying on the ground with her back towards the door.

Snape and Harry walked in slowly, both noticing a cauldron in the bath tub. Both spoke silently at the same time: "olyjuice Potion." Then after saying that both looked at each other. Snape with the look that Harry actually know something about potions for once, and Harry with a look of surprised, directed mainly towards the girl on the floor.

The girl, now had long shimmering black hair. Both knew who she was at once. Cho Chang. Harry was too surprised to say anything. Snape on the other hand placed his hand on her shoulder, and spoke words directed towards her welfare. After a few moments Snape helped the small Asian girl to her feet and ushered the two out the bathroom, and into the living room.

"olyjuice Potion, Ms Chang." Snape said, a bit impressed. "Am I to assume that you conjured this up on your own without assistance."

Cho nodded, not looking at Harry.

Snape smirked at Harry, now understanding why Harry was talking about Hermione. "You took the form of Ms Granger, then."

Cho nodded again. After a pause she added: "To get Harry to come with me."

"Ah yes. Potter can be stubborn and difficult." Snape gave Harry another look.

Cho said nothing, but it was apparent that she did not go though the trouble of making Polyjuice Potion just because of that. Snape did not seem to mind anymore. After making a comment on how if they were in Hogwarts he would give Ravenclaw 10 points, he then was silent and waited for Harry or Cho to say something.

"Very well then. Ms. Chang, am I right to assume that this house has enough for you children to survive a week without guidance."

Cho nodded, Harry knew that guidance meant food and things of that nature.

"Then I shall take my leave. You two are to stay in doors. Others may come to check on you in and out. Be prepared for more guests." Snape looked at the two for a long moment then got up and started out towards the door.

"T-Thank you Professor." Cho said at last.

Snape nodded a nod that stated that he only was nodding out of politeness. Then he exited to the hall. Soon the sound of her door opening and shutting came, leaving Harry and Cho all alone.

Harry and Cho stared at each other from their seats both not saying anything to the other. Harry couldn't understand why Cho would go though all that trouble just to bring him there. It was not as if he would have said no if she just came as her to Privet Drive. She was part of the Wizard Community. He would have gone with practically anyone that was from it, that and on Dumbledore's side.

The awkward silence last a bit longer. Harry did not want to swarm the girl with questions. He figured it would be easier, mainly on himself, if he just waited till she explained it all. Girls were a complicated thing to Harry, well this girl anyway. He never could do or say the right thing, it always ended up with her yelling or crying at him. Where he was once comfortable talking to her before as Hermione, now he found himself with a lack of words.

After a while Cho stood up, slowly taking off her Hermione Gryffindor Robe, then folding it nicely she placed it on the chair she was sitting. She was still wearing the school uniform, which somewhat looked odd, them being out of Hogwarts. She turned back to Harry, her hands holding each other in front of her as if she was supporting herself emotionally. Her eyes shifted, as if she wanted to look at Harry but was to shy or embarrassed to do so. "I-I'm going to make some tea…" She said in very low voice. "Would you like a cup?" It was apparent that she was not going to volunteer answers anytime soon.

"Sure." Harry replied resisting the urge to ask her questions about the Polyjuice Potion.

Cho turn her back to Harry and walked slowly towards the kitchen, while Harry followed suit. He noticed that her hips swayed slightly as she walked, that her behind was perfectly round, her skirt only amplifying her feature. Then he realized that he was looking, then adverted his eyes to the left side, where he saw a long mirror on the wall. Cho's eyes were fixed on him, but on seeing that his eye caught hers, her eyes darted quickly in front of her. Had she seen him looking at her behind?

Harry felt extremely nervous now. If she saw him looking, then she was going to think he was no good and probably the yelling and crying would start again. He felt like running away and banging his head against something solid, much like Dobby did whenever he felt the need to punish himself.

The two arrived into the kitchen. Just like the Weasleys kitchen in the Burrow, there were all kinds of ordinary Wizard objects that Harry found fascinating, forgetting his troubles at the moment. Like Ms. Weasleys house, there was a clock that told the location of her mother, father, and of course her. It seemed both her parents were at the Ministry of Magic. In the sink their were dishes washing themselves, sponges cleaning the counter tops, and of course the occasional picture with people waving at Harry as he looked at them.

Cho glanced at Harry, having turned around so that she was facing him, and had be staring at him oddly, as he was totally gocking at what seemed to her ordinary things. Harry seeing that she was facing him, pulled himself from looking a butter Knife and a Spoon dueling. A small smile rose on Cho's face once he turned to her, which shocked him.

The smile rose into a laugh. Harry clearly was not in on the joke. "What?"

"Oh - I'm sorry. It's just you look like a kid in a broom store!" Cho giggled again.

"What do you mean?"

"The way you're looking at everything…" She tried to explained.

"I can't help it. I live with Muggles." Harry paused then raised his eyebrows. "You were doing the same thing when you came to my house. I thought you were going to take pictures."

"I was not." Cho shook her head, still laughing at bit.

"You were. I was wondering why my room was so interesting."

"Well you know, I never had been in a Muggle house before." Cho placed her hands on her hips. "And I know that you've been to Ron's House."

"Ron's house is a bit different." Harry tried to explain that it was cluttered with Muggle things that Mr. Weasley collected and filled with people anyway, so that one would spend most of their time looking at the living. He was about to start about garden gnomes when he thought that he was boring Cho. If he was he couldn't tell.

He stopped talking, and she looked down at her feet, the right one 's toe was digging at the wooden floor. Then as if she just remembered she sprung from that state she was in and walked over to a cupboard. "Tea…" She reminded herself.

Harry sat down where Cho had motioned him too while she started to prepare a pot of water to boil, and of course the necessary tea things. Then as if she were saying so idly she asked: "Have you ever been to Hermione's house…"

Harry wondered if Cho was obsessed with Hermione. Conversation always seemed to fall right back on her. Then of course end badly. "No." He said simply.

"Why not?" Cho's voice sound like it was trying to even.

"She's always on vacation somewhere. Plus the Dursleys wouldn't allow me to go some place fun over the summer. Also I'm sure her parents would think it odd for a boy to stay at their house with their daughter." Harry muttered, as if it were an auto response. "Besides, if I went to her house I'd end up doing homework the whole time, she's make sure of that…"

Cho muttered something under her breath, something that he barely heard, but around the lines of "She orders him around like he's her slave."

Harry choose to ignore it. Maybe Hermione was right about what she said about Cho last year at Hogwarts. Maybe Cho had a jealous streak.

Cho had finished boiling the water. Then she add her special blend of wizard brew tea (Harry knew this because she told him that it was one of those traditions that her mother taught her ) She placed the pot on a serving tray, with a bowl of sugar and a small cream filled cup, and two cups to drink the tea in. She arrived at the table she had assigned Harry to sit at, and slid the tray carefully on the it.

Harry smiled, filling sort of bad that he didn't get up and help her. The thought only just reached his mind. But Cho seemed to busy thinking to herself, and arranging tea condiments to even notice. After serving the tea, she leaned back in her seat, looking rather stiff, as if she was nervous about a job interview.

"Harry." She said something at last. Harry looked up at her but didn't say anything because he had tea in his mouth. "Can we - like - start over?"

Harry swallowed quickly and placed his cup down and blinked a bit confused. "Start over?"

"Last year." Cho looked down. "I was - we were… I mean… Well we were both going through bad times. You know? I was crying every five minutes and you… and the whole You-Know-Who thing."

"Yeah…" He wondered if she knew about his god fathers death, he hoped she did not bring it up.

"The best times I had last year was in the DA meetings." Cho said after a while to regroup her thoughts. "When you were…teaching me."

"I have to say that if it weren't for the DA meetings, I would have just left Hogwarts last year…I would have stole my broom like the Weasley Twins and flew off with them. The Order keeping me in the dark, special classes with Snape, Dumbledore ignoring me. And worse, that git Umbridge." Harry muttered out loud. He kept sure not to mention Sirius.

"You - you enjoyed them? I mean, teaching me- them?" She was stumbling over her words.

"Yes. The thought that we were doing something that was against the ministry was enough for me, plus…I got to spend more time with you." On the last part he said quickly and lower, then he quickly looked away at the spoon and the butter knife, which had stopped their battle and was now imitating them drinking tea.

Harry could hear that Cho was smiling. He could hear it. It was just something that he knew she was doing without seeing it. He then turned, a bit embarrassed that he actually admitted that to her, to see she was grinning and was blushing as he was sure he was doing.

Cho lean forward on her seat and reached her hands across the table, her eyes practically ordering Harry to do the same. Harry followed suit, and as soon as his hands were on the table, she grabbed them with her own hands. She still looked shy, but looked like she had been waiting to do this, as if she practiced it.

"Harry, remember that day we went to Hogsmeade, and everyone there was- kissing?"

Harry nodded. He couldn't forget that. He had been feeling awkward, wanting to be close to Cho but felt that he had to compete with the others making out.

"I really wanted to kiss you then." She said, not looking at him that time. "But I got scared…"

"Why?"

"Oh - I…I was shy. I was hoping you would kiss me." Cho said, then biting her bottom lip before saying her next sentence. "Sort of like I do now." Harry stiffened up. If he wasn't nervous before he was now. "If you don't want to I understand…" She said quickly, feeling Harry's hands freeze.

"No - I - well, I do. I just…" Harry wondered why this had to be so hard. He could catch a near impossible golden snitch by standing on top of broom stick while it was going near lightning fast, but was having trouble just leaning forward and kiss her.

"You're nervous." Cho said, and smiled shyly. "It's sort of cute." Harry smiled a bit. "I'm nervous too." She said after while.

Harry took a deep breath as he saw Cho lean forward. He saw that as she did this, Cho closed her eyes and her lips inched forward a small bit. Her cheeks grew pinker as her moved forward. He didn't really know exactly what to do, as his nose was practically touching hers. He swallowed hard and arched his lips forward, allowing them to meet with hers.

This time she was not crying, this time her cheeks were not wet and her lips salty from tears. This time her lips were very soft, and tasted slightly of tea, milk, and sugar. He pulled back, still holding her hands. Her eyes slowly opened, and her lips retracted, and moved upward in a small smile.

"Oh …" was all she could say.

Harry did not mind, he could not think of anything either. He wondered how he had problems doing that before. It was so simple, and it was very rewarding. Still as much as he had liked Cho the previous year, he felt strangely odd after that kiss. Like perhaps his feelings where all different after the events of last school year. However confused he was about the situation, he decided to keep it to himself. He did not want to upset Cho again.

"I'm glad you don't like Hermione." She said at last, which sounded a bit odd, like she was forcing herself to say something after that, but could not think of anything, so something just spurt it.

"She's just a friend." Harry said, almost annoyed that Hermione kept popping back up in the conversation. Then his mind went back to the Polyjuice Potion. "Cho…why did you--"

"You know why I did." Cho looked down, a bit ashamed of herself, and took back her hands.

"You just…wanted to know if I like her?" Harry asked after awhile. She only responded with a nod. "What do you think now?"

"I think - um - that you -" Cho stuttered. "I don't care anymore." She stood up and walked over to him, grabbing his hands and pulling him to his feet. "It's not important. We're alone finally, and we might as well take advantage of it."


	2. Chapter 2

Harry Potter

and the

Unicorn's Horn

by

Glee-chan

This is a fan fiction based on the J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe. The author does not take claim to own any characters, places, and magical objects that are not original. Most characters are the property of Rowling, and the author does not intend to make money off of this fan fiction, merely just writing for fun. The author does not have a million dollars to fork over, thus does not want any legal action to be taken. The events in this story take place in a Book 6 alternate timeline

Chapter Two

"Advantage?" Harry wondered if that meant something that he wasn't sure he had the guts to do.

Cho blushed, and shook her head. "I mean - no, not like that, well not yet, I -mean… I meant we shouldn't worry about things like that and just enjoy being together."

Harry knew he had to look a bit nervous again. Cho let go of his left hand and pretended to zip up her lips with her right. Harry gave a small laugh. Cho shook her head at herself and started walking out the kitchen, pulling Harry with her, with his right hand.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked, feeling strange that Cho was leading him somewhere.

"Oh - to the bathroom."

"Why?"

"You look horrible…that blood dried to your face. I can't take it much longer."

Harry had forgotten all about that. If the blood was not covering half his face it would have been all to apparent that he was blushing. When they arrived in the bathroom, Harry looked down at the Polyjuice Potion in the bathtub, then at the mirror on the opposite wall. He did look ghastly. He wondered why Snape had not commented on that fact.

"Have you been reading the Daily Prophet?" Cho sounded like she was just trying to get Harry to talk, on account that the house was empty and silent. She bent over to look for a wash rag underneath the sink. This time Harry resisted the urge to look at her bum again.

"Yeah. Scrimgeour taking over Fudge's position as Minister of Magic has to be an improvement. I don't think anyone could do the job worse than him, unless of course it was Voldemort."

Cho flinched. Harry forgot momentarily that like all wizards, the name Voldemort was feared and rarely spoken. It had taken Hermione forever to get used to saying it. Ron still did not say the name, which was odd because his sister seemed not to have a problem with it. But having the memory of young Voldemort possess her, and having seen Harry save her, she was more incline to agree with Harry on the subject.

"It's just a name." Harry spokes softly, trying not to sound annoyed.

"I know. I just don't have the courage to say it like you can." Cho raised, pulling the wash cloth from the cabinet, then turning on the sink warm water. "I have not faced him four times. Oh that must be some kind of record. No wonder the Prophet keeps calling you the Chosen One."

Harry shifted his eyes, having read those articles himself. Last year, the Daily Prophet muddied his name on a daily bases. If it wasn't for Luna Lovegood's father and his magazine The Quibbler, the Daily Prophet would have never stopped leaving him alone. "For once the Prophet has some thing right."

Cho raised her eye brows, then started to scrub the side of Harry's face. "You mean there really was a prophesy?"

Harry nodded. "The strange thing about it all is why the Prophet is advertising it? They were in the 'Hate-Harry' club for ages."

"Oh. Well I for one think that nothing bad can come of it. It brings peoples spirits up thinking there is a hero among them." Cho seemed to be scrubbing harder on his face, to the point it was starting to hurt.

Harry winced. Cho didn't seem to notice, and rinsed her wash cloth off, re-soaked it, then went back to work. They stayed in silence for a while until Cho decided she was finished and placed the dirty rag into a laundry hamper in near the bathroom door. Harry looked at his face, seeing it clean, but also slightly red from all the rubbing Cho had done to it. He noticed that Cho looked at his face, after the blood was gone and blushed, as if she had just seen him again for the first time.

The situation was so awkward to him. Last year he would have given anything to be alone with Cho, but now that he was he did not know what to do, or say. The only thing they had on common, as far as he could tell was Quidditch. He suddenly wished someone else was with them.

"Oh, how unpolite of me. I should have done so when we first got here." Cho shook her head out of the staring trance she was in, to Harry's relief.

As she made her way out the bathroom, Harry followed her. She glanced over at Harry's stuff, then walked over to the pile. "Let's take these to the guest room."

Harry was all for doing something and breaking the awkwardness. He piled as much as he thought he could carry on top of his trunk then picked it up. His legs wanted to buckle underneath the weight, but he had made a commitment and he couldn't let on that he couldn't carry all of that. Cho looked at how much he was carrying, seemingly impressed and notion for him to follow her up the stairs.

Stairs. It was agony, but Harry somehow made it, without making any grunts or groans which was a serious effort. On reaching the top, he followed the back of Cho's head to a room she opened up for him. He thought he would try to look cool a bit longer and stand holding the items until she told him where would be a good place to set it down. It seemed to take forever, but finally Cho pointed towards a Wardrobe in the corner of the room, which Harry slowly walked over and placed the trunk down. His arms and legs felt relieved that was all over. He turned to face Cho, trying to keep a normal face, and breath evenly.

Cho did not seem to notice he did anything special in particular, but was back to her staring. Harry wanted to sit down but thought he better walked around, and look at the room before he rested his exhausted legs. "I like your house." Harry said rather cautiously.

Cho was once again pulled from her trance. "This house is a summer house that belonged to my grandmother. That's why we're alone. My parents are back at my home and have volunteered this house to Professor Dumbledore for his Auror meetings. I don't think they use it too much, but they do visit every so often. It was decided that this may be perfect place to bring you too until school starts up."

"Decided?" Harry wondered why everyone always made decisions for him. He made his way slowly to the guest bed, sitting down. He felt his wary legs thank him silently. "Normally Dumbledore sends me to the Burrow… oh, that's where the Weasley's live."

Cho sheepishly sat on the bed next to him. "I don't know exactly what happened, but from what I could gather Mrs. Weasley's son, Bill, and his fiancée are staying there, and there is hardly any room to place you. Naturally she wouldn't object to you staying there, of course, but I was lead to believe that Dumbledore and some others did not want to impose on her."

Harry noticed that Cho was creeping slightly closer to him as they sat on the bed. "Fiancée?"

"I don't know who she is." Cho bit her bottom lip, the same way she did when she was thinking about kissing Harry before. "I think Ron said everyone was going to come and visit sometime."

Harry stiffened again. Why was he feeling so uncomfortable around her? Cho, although looking like she wanted to kiss him again, also started to look a bit nervous. She smiled softly to herself and leaned slightly away from him, as if she talked herself out of doing what she was planning on doing.

The two days that followed, Harry and Cho began to loosen up around each other, but there was still an uneasy tension around them. It was obvious that Cho wanted Harry to kiss her, but Harry just have a problem with actually doing it. He always felt weird whenever he tried to, and always stopped himself. There were times when Cho attempted to kiss him again, but had stopped herself as well. It was clear that both of them were nervous but they wouldn't talk to each other about it. That's why when Ron, Hermione and Ginny showed up, Harry felt a surge of relief.

Almost like every summer, when Harry first saw them he was surprised how much they had changed over the summer. Ron was less awkward looking, perhaps handsome, not like he judged or anything. Hermione had grown all the more, which caused an air of strangeness when Cho saw her. Ginny had also changed, and it was her who changed the most. On turning fifteen she had matured and had grown extremely pretty. Harry imagined that Ron would have troubles keeping the boys from her when they went back to Hogwarts.

"Hullo Harry." Ron said, looking around the place after he had arrived. They had traveled with Flu Powder, and where all looking slightly dusty.

"Hello Ron. Have a nice summer?" Harry was glad for the company.

"Nothing too exciting." Ron shrugged, looking up "Bloody hell, this place has a chandelier."

Cho looked at Ron with an 'I-Have-to-be-polite' smile, and gave an even worst smile towards Hermione. Harry could tell this was not going to be a pleasant visit. "It's nice to have you here. Harry and I have been alone for three days now."

Ginny lifted an eyebrow, giving a smirk. "Three days? I'm sure you two found something to do." Hermione laughed at the joke.

Ron gave an innocent blink. "Well they both are seekers, they might have been practicing on each other out in the backyard."

"I doubt that." Ginny giggled.

"Actually, she's right." Harry turned to Ron. "Snape told us we weren't aloud to leave the house."

"And you actually listened to him?" Ron laughed. "Give me a break."

Hermione nodded her approval. "Harry was right in not breaking Snape's order. I'm sure he was only looking out for the safety of both Harry and Cho."

"Yeah, that and it's much more comfortable to snog indoors." Ginny giggled again.

Both Harry and Cho blushed. While they had only kissed once, it technically did not really count as full out snogging. But the thought of what could have been embarrassed them both. Harry knew that both of them had snogging on the brain for three days, if not other things.

"Oh no. See, we didn't--" Cho started up but Ron seemed to have moved on from the subject. Harry could see that he really didn't want to think of his best mate making out.

"Well I think it's a waste you two cooped up in here and not practicing Quidditch. I mean in this room we have two seekers--"

"Three." Ginny chimed in.

"Well you weren't here now where you."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Anyhow, sibling quarreling aside, what did you and Cho do all this time?"

"I don't think everything Harry does concerns you." Cho mouthed out before she could stop it. Even Harry could tell she consciously did not want to say that out loud. But after she had said it, her face had set into a determined seriousness as if she had decided to stick with her statement.

"It was just a friendly question, Cho." Hermione narrowed her eyes, obviously not going to back down. Once again Harry wondered what went on in women's heads.

"Maybe a little too friendly, Hermione." Cho narrowed her eyes also.

Harry stepped a step back, standing next to Ron, who seemed strangely intrigued with Cho's family pictures suddenly. Harry looked to Ginny, who gave him a sympathetic look back, also feeling the discomforting tension of the situation. Harry knew somehow it would have to be him to break this up.

"So… er… we're going to Diagon Alley some time today, to buy books and whatnot?" Harry muttered out.

"Mum and Dad will be around shortly." Ron spoke finally, ignoring the two girls glaring at each other. "They have a wild idea about them buying everything and dropping it off here."

"No way." Harry shook his head. "I want to see Fred and George's Joke Shop."

Cho looked at Harry but said nothing. Hermione crossed her arms underneath her chest. Ginny looked around as if she was searching for something to say that would break the tension, while Ron looked completely oblivious to the whole situation.

"Oi, we got five people here, four of which can play Quidditch, why not go out back and have a game, and Hermione can be the referee." Ron suddenly said.

"Ron, you heard what Snape told Harry…" Hermione quickly pointed out.

"Dash Snape!" Ron muttered. "It's not like he's going to know. And besides, technically the backyard is still part of the house."

Both Ginny and Harry looked at Hermione, then at Ron, then at Cho. Cho crossed her arms also, taking a similar pose as Hermione. "I understand. Maybe Herimione feels left out that she doesn't know how to play Quidditch. It can be so dull just do watch when everyone else is playing."

"That's not it." Hermione looked pink with anger.

"Oh, so sorry. Then why not teach her to play? I mean it's only fair. Then we can all play."

"Sounds like a good idea to me." Ron smiled.

Both Harry and Ginny knew this was not a good idea, not in the least. Harry saw Ginny look at his face, then slowly come up with an idea to stop the whole fight. "But there's only five of us. One team would have one to many."

Harry's heart slowed. Ginny might have calmed the situation. "Er… um… Yeah, I didn't feel like playing anyway."

After he said that, Harry knew it was a mistake. Ron piped in. "Then Harry can be the referee!." Ginny quickly turned, giving her bother an evil look.

Cho smiled coyly. "So how about it? Me and Ron verses you and Ginny…"

Harry felt like setting himself on fire and running out of the room. "No, it's okay, we can find something else--"

"Fine, okay!" Hermione spoke out of anger. "What are we playing for?"

"Playing for?" Both Weasley's spoke together.

Cho looked a bit surprised that Hermione raised the stakes. "Oh, so we're betting huh?"

"Looks like." Hermione keep her eyes fixed on Cho, her anger just swelling over.

Harry shook his head. "Hey… Hermione… don't you think this is getting a bit personal?"

"Shut up, Harry." Hermione didn't even look at him.

Ron looked excited, clearly not getting what they were fighting about, but glad that a real competition was about to happen. "It has to be something big!"

"Ron!" Ginny shouted. "C'mon! D'you even think that over?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron's face got slightly red.

Harry rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. "Really…we can have tea or something…"

"Okay," Cho glared at Hermione. "Whoever wins, gets to kiss Harry!"

"What!" Harry gasped.

Ron, who had not seemed to listen to the whole fight heard that part. "What? No way, I'm not kissing Harry."

"Sounds fine to me." Hermione spoke out of anger.

Harry wanted to claw his own face in frustration. "Hermione, no!"

Ginny placed her hands on her face, clearly seeing that she would have to do most of the broom-work in the match.

"Hey, d'you hear me? I'm NOT kissing Harry!" Ron looked at Cho.

"You won't have too." Cho looked at Ron, trying to work things out. "If we win, I'll buy you a butterbeer or something." Ron did not say anything.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Harry muttered.

"NO!" Cho and Hermione both said.

It was settled. They all grabbed brooms and trooped out doors. Since Harry was not playing, he could lend his broom to anyone. Despite his emotions on the matter he lent it to Ginny, who lent hers to Hermione. He figured Ginny would be able to control his Firebolt far better than Hermione. Cho gave Harry a wink, as if she was doing this all for him. He felt a pit in his stomach, knowing that who ever won it would be bad for him either way.

"Why the hell does Hermione want to kiss you?" Ron carried his broom, leaning over Harry's shoulder, whispering in his ear.

"She doesn't, she's just so mad she isn't thinking." Harry whispered back.

"Imagine that. Hermione not thinking." Ron chuckled. "I wonder what worked her up so much?"

"She's a girl, your guess is as good as mine."

"Tough break for you though. I guess you don't want either of us to win."

"How'd you guess."

"I'm not as dumb as I let on."

"Could have fooled me." Ginny flew by on her broom, over hearing the last part of that conversation.

It took a while to teach Hermione a few things, but all-in-all she was not that bad. She was in no way good enough to join a Hogwarts house team, but it was apparent that despite her fear of flying she had been practicing. Harry wondered how and when she found the time to do so.

They had no Bludgers or Snitch so they were playing only with a Quaffle and home made hoops that was already in the back yard. It was decided that they would play until one side had 150 points (each Quaffle through the hoop counted 10 points). Harry had to keep score from the ground, although he wish he had nothing to do with the whole business.

Ginny and Cho took the roles as Chasers, while Ron and Hermione played as Keepers. Both side had an advantage and disadvantage. Cho's advantage was that both players on her team were on house teams in Hogwarts. Her disadvantage was that she was a Seeker, not a Chaser. She was used to catching a Snitch, not a Quaffle, and certainly not throwing them into hoops. Ginny's obvious disadvantage was Hermione. Not only had she never played a real game before, but she was playing in anger. But Ginny's advantage was that she played Chaser mainly, and substituted as Seeker when Harry was unavailable.

To Harry's sadness the game was pretty even. Ginny would control the Quaffle more often than Cho, but Ron was experienced at blocking a lot of her shots. However when Cho got the Quaffle, and managed to aim correctly more often than not Hermione could not block the shot. Every so often Hermione would make a save, which was just as often as Ginny getting one past her brother.

The score shifted winning sides multiple times, until they were both at 140. It was Ginny and Ron doing most of the work, Harry noticed. He realized then that changing position on the Quidditch pitch was not as easy as it looked. Cho was an excellent seeker, but a poor chaser compared to Ginny. It was down to the last point and everyone was playing as they meant it. Hermione, towards the end was actually making more saves, Harry guessed out of pure anger. However Ron was blocking Ginny's multiple shot efficiently.

Cho got the Quaffle, after Ginny had missed for the winning shot for the fifth time. For once the Weasley girl did not own the Quaffle, however she Chased after Cho. Harry really didn't know who he wanted to win, but found himself secretly cheering for both sides. It was a sloppy game, but so much was at stake for two of the players the drama just built up.

Cho threw the Quaffle, and remarkable it was on target. Harry closed his eyes, not wanting to see Hermione's face when she would miss it. But to his surprise he heard a loud grunt and a punt noise. He opened his eyes to see Hermione spin her broom like a bat, punting the Quaffle over Cho's head. Ginny quickly whizzed over head and snatch the ball and zoomed for Ron. Cho was not far behind her.

But Ginny was on Harry's Firebolt. And for the first time in the game she realized how fast the thing could go. Harry saw her speeding up, and arching back her arm to make the fastest pitch in her life. With the momentum of the broom she tossed the Quaffle directly at Ron.

"Akk!" Ron's eyes raised, seeing the Quaffle buzzing at him a bludger like speeds. Involuntarily he ducked his head, as if he would if a Bludger was flying at him, accidentally allowing Ginny's point.

Ginny squealed as she zoomed by Ron, slowing Harry's Firebolt. Cho screamed and gave Ron a glare that Harry was glad he was not on the receiving end. Hermione had a huge smile on her face, and looked at Harry as if she had won the biggest victory in her life.

"T-That didn't count!" Ron protested.

Cho shook her head, looking at Harry, like she would at Madame Hooch in a real Quidditch game.

"That so did. You ducked your head, it was your fault." Ginny argued.

"Did you see how fast that thing was going Harry, I thought it was a Bludger for a slit second and reacted wrongly."

Harry opened his mouth to say something but got interrupted by Hermione. "Excuses, excuses. You got spooked, so what, I've seen it happen loads of times at school."

Cho shook her head. "I want a do over!"

"There's no do-overs!" Hermione shouted.

Ron shook his head. "Harry's the ref. If he saw foul play, then we do the play again."

Harry felt that punch in the stomach he was waiting for. Either choice would get angry looks towards him. He wondered if this was how Madame Hooch felt. "Sorry Ron, I didn't see anything wrong with the play. Her point counts."

Ron shrugged and lowered his broom. "Well it was a good game anyhow."

Cho shook her head. "No, no… Are you sure Harry? She was using your Firebolt…"

Harry gave her a sympathetic look. "If a chaser in Hogwarts had a Firebolt, the ref. would allow the point. I'm sorry."

Cho pouted then turned her broom facing a lowering Hermione. "Fine. I'll keep to my word. Go ahead and have a kiss."

Hermione's eyes raised. "I- I really… no it's okay, I just wanted to win."

Cho landed on the ground and walked closer to Hermione. "Are you backing down on your promise? We made a pact that whoever won kisses Harry. Your team won!"

Harry raised from his seated position. "Hey it's okay with me if she doesn't--"

"I'm not asking you. We made a pact." Cho looked determined.

"But I don't like him like that…" Hermione shouted. "He's my best friend, that's all. I don't know what you think, but I never wanted him that way."

"Gee, thanks Hermione." Harry smirked.

"Oh hush." Hermione waved him off

"Never-the-less," Cho pointed at Harry, looking Hermione in the eye. "You said you'd kiss him if you won, so you got to."

"I don't got to do anything."

"Oh, God, you're a bunch of twelve year olds." Ginny grumbled and walked over to Harry. "I'm part of the winning team, so I'll claim the stupid kiss."

Harry's eyes widened, and gave a brief look to Ron, who seemed to look like the whole situation was a stupid girl thing. Cho and Hermione both turned toward Ginny's direction, with open mouths, as if caught in mid-argument. Harry looked back towards Ginny, who faced directly in front of him. She places her two hands on his cheeks and pushed his head forward to meet hers. Their lips met.

A sudden sensation occurred when this happened, something Harry did not expect. He felt as though his whole body started tingling, and that time had stopped for that one moment. It seemed as though he was lost in her kiss for hours, and a part of him did not want it to end. When they broke a part, time started again.

There was complete silence all around. Cho, Hermione, and now Ron all stared with wide eyes. Harry saw Ginny's hands let go of his face, while one hand went to her side, the other one reached up to her own face, touching her lips lightly. Then dropping her remaining raised arm, and with a pink face, she quickly turned and started walking for the entrance to the house.

"Was that so hard?" She spoke quickly and harshly in Cho and Hermione's direction.

The trip in Diagon Alley was mostly quiet. Cho and Hermione stopped talking to each other. Ginny kept to herself, if she did talk to people, it would only be to her parents, Harry and Ron. She would not, however talk to Cho, and especially Hermione. Harry was not sure what the problem was, but knew by the look on Hermione's face that something had occurred between them when Ginny was forced to take that kiss.

Ginny occasionally glanced at Harry, and he at her, but they did not talk about the issue. He knew what he felt, and did not know if she felt the same thing when they kissed. He also did not want to upset his friendship with Ron. Ginny was his little sister after all.

So Harry kept close to Ron as to avoid any complications. While Mr. And Mrs. Weasley went to go get the books for all of them, they all made their way down the Alley, trying to find Fred and George's Joke Shop. And it did not take too long to find. While most shops where dull, and closed because of the war, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes stuck out like a sore thumb.

When Harry entered, as he expected, the place was filled to the brim with Hogwarts students, looking for a little something to pass the study hours away. Busily up front, Fred and George were running here and there minding the shop. But on seeing Harry, George snubbed off his customer and worked his way to meet him.

"Harry! How are you!" he quickly shook his hand.

Harry's mood cheered up immediately. "Looks like you've got this place up and running finally."

"Thanks to our unspoken sponsor." George grinning.

"Who'd you get to sponsor you?" Ron smiled at his brother, marveling at the place.

"It wouldn't be an unspoken sponsor if I told you, Ron." George said, and winked at Harry.

Hermione looked at an item that allowed the user to enter a virtual daydream. "Amazing. This really is extraordinary magic."

"Hermione giving a compliment, thought I'd never see the day." George joked. He jabbed Harry lightly. "Come on, I'll show you around the place."

Harry was relieved when George pulled him away from the group, leading him into the back room. Fred saw Harry on the way and gave him the same hardy handshake his brother did moments ago. It was apparent that he would follow them, if he did not have a line of customers. When George and Harry reached the back, George quickly started showing Harry all their latest joke items.

"I can't believe business is this great." Harry smiled.

"Blimey, you wouldn't believe. Fred and I are planning on buying the joke store in Hogsmeade and start a chain."

"I bet you make quite a lot from Hogwarts students." Harry beamed.

George looked solemn for a few seconds. "It's not the money that counts, it's frustrating those in administration." After which he gave a huge grin.

"Or the Ministry of Magic." Harry was looking at popping fire gnomes.

"Couldn't have said it better myself." George nodded. "Say Harry, if you see anything you fancy, just go ahead and take it, free of charge."

"I couldn't do that!"

"If it wasn't for you we'd never get started, you know."

Harry started to pull out his money bag, but George waved his hand. "I won't hear of it!"

George exited the back room, and Harry followed suit. On looking out the window, he saw Draco Malfoy walk by the shop, but not giving it a second look. Harry turned his nose at his rival, and glanced at Ginny, who was looking at love potions. She turned around after picking one up, then saw Harry looking at her. She accidentally dropped the potion, and blushed a pink flush, then quickly looked away while she picked up the fallen potion. Harry felt hot stream come out of his shirt collar momentarily.

Fred suddenly was behind Harry. "Harry! George told you your money's no good here right?"

Harry jumped, being surprised. He turned around and saw the other Weasley brother, shoving Decoy Detonators in his arms. "I can't just take these, I'd feel wrong."

"Nonsense! Besides, you'll love these. You drop one and it'll run away from your direction, them make a loud popping noise giving you a perfect diversion! Perfect for getting out of those tough situation you manage to get into."

"I could of used one earlier today." Harry smiled, placed the Decoy Detonators in his pocket, seeing fighting about money was not going to work for him.

"Yeah, Ron said something about Hermione and Cho fighting over you or something?"

"Long story." Harry shook his head. "They made a bet and somehow the prize was kissing me. Well Hermione won, but didn't want to kiss me…so…"

"So that's it. My little sis acting weird that is."

Harry nodded. "It was awkward for everyone, but I think I want to get something for everyone, at least her -- just to ease the tension. She was looking at that love potion stuff over there."

"Like I said, free." Fred raised his arms. "Although I wouldn't think my sister needs love potion. Last I heard she had five boys after her."

"I wouldn't know about that. I've been cooped up with the Dursley's."

"A shame." Fred smiled. "Whoa, customers. I'll catch up with you later."

Fred vanished in the crowd. Harry made his way towards the Love Potions Ginny had been looking at and picked one out. Then he thought he should probably buy…or take… something for Hermione, Cho, and Ron. In the end Harry settled on A Daydream Charm for Hermione, a Shield Cloak for Ron, and a changing multi-colored flower that sprayed jelly-bean candy for Cho.

After saying goodbyes, and secretly placing the correct amount of money for the items he took in Fred and George's back room register, Harry gave his gifts to the three. Thankfully the gifts seemed to ease the tension a little and people started talking again.

Harry spent the rest of the last week of the Holiday at the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley insisted. Harry was thankful that he did not have to be alone with Cho for a week, but soon found out that Mrs. Weasley invited Cho to stay with them as well. This was a complicated situation, but Mrs. Weasley worked out the details. Ginny was no longer in good terms with Hermione, so Cho slept in her room with her. Harry and Ron shared a room, of course. Bill and his fiancée (who turned out to be Fleur Delacour, to Harry's surprise) stayed in Fred and George's old room. Hermione somehow lucked out and got Percy's old room.

Still Harry could see no good in Cho and Ginny sharing a room. He could not understand why he had these feelings for her, that were apparently always there, but he never knew about. Also his loyalty to Ron was paramount, as he did not want to ruin their friendship over his new fascination with his sister. Worse still, he did not know how she felt towards him. She had resumed talking and being herself around him, but there was something there in her eyes that had changed.

If nothing else, Ron and Harry were determined to get Hermione and Ginny on talking terms again. They had a week before Hogwarts began, and they knew that somehow they could get them back to being friends. On the third day of trying, it was actually Cho who made the situation worse. They were all in the back, out doors when Cho decided to get answers from Harry, which he knew was coming but was avoiding it.

Harry had been pulling Garden Gnomes with Ginny while Ron was being lectured by Hermione about reading his Transfiguration book early. For the most part of that day, Harry and Ginny had been getting along like they had in the past. He had not been thinking about her kiss at all. But it was when Ginny laughed at his joke and placed a hand on his shoulder that caused Cho to confront the situation.

"What's so funny?"

Ginny stopped laughing and turned around; Harry following her example. He glanced at Ginny then back at Cho, seeing that same look she had in her eye when she challenged Hermione. Harry felt his stomach sink. Why did she have to ruin everything when things were starting to get back to normal?

"Harry just told a joke about a Garden Gnome." Ginny said civilly.

On looking beyond Cho, he could see Hermione and Ron stop arguing, they too saw what was coming. Quickly Harry scrambled to think of something to stop what might become another fight.

"If you want, you can help us clear these out of the garden." Harry offered, rubbing underneath his nose with his shirt sleeve.

"No thanks. I think she's got all the help she needs." She gave Harry that cold stare.

Before Harry could say anything, he was surprised to hear Ginny growl under breath. "Just what do you mean by that?"

Cho gave a slight pout. "It's obvious. You playing all giggly around Harry like that, getting him to 'help' you with Garden Gnomes, just so you can seduce him."

"Excuse me?" Ginny's face turned a shade or pink.

Hermione suddenly was on her feet. "Hey, that's uncalled for, Cho!"

Harry looked at Ron for help, who only shrug, giving a look that said I'm-glad-I'm-not-you. Harry shook his head. "Enough, okay? I'm tired of everyone fighting all the time."

"Did you hear what she said about me, Harry!" Ginny turned on him.

"Ignore her Ginny." Hermione looked just as angry. "She thinks everyone is after Harry."

Cho's face also turned red. "Oh don't play dumb. I don't know about Hermione, but I defenately know about you!" She pointed to Ginny. "I saw the way you looked when you kissed him! And then when he gave you that love potion, I saw that smile you gave him!"

Harry opened his mouth to say something but again was interrupted. Hermione was now standing next to Ginny. "Who ever said that Harry was going out with you in the first place?"

Cho opened her mouth, then closed it, as if she had no way of claiming this. Then she opened her mouth again and pointed at Harry. "We agreed to start over…to forget the past and to start over again."

Ginny quickly chimed in. "That doesn't mean that he agreed to go out with you!"

Cho lowered her eyebrows. "But we kissed! We kissed…"

Both Hermione and Ginny looked at Harry. Harry looked awkwardly at Ron again, who offered no help. "Technically you kissed me…" He said in a small voice.

Cho's face looked devastated. "You tell me right now if we are going out or not!" She forgot Ginny and Hermione were there. "I know that our kiss that day was awkward, but I felt something…and I thought you did too. And I thought we were getting back together."

Harry felt like he was being pushed three ways against a wall of nails, as all three girls were staring holes into him. How could he tell Cho he did not feel anything that day, but completely nervousness. How could he tell her that when Ginny kissed him he felt like he could do back flips for joy. He saw in her eyes that she was on the verge of crying.

"You're giving him an ultimatum now?" Ginny turned and narrowed her eyes at Cho. Harry felt somewhat relieved that Ginny stopped him from answering Cho's questions.

"Why not?!"

"Give him time to work out the situation, for pity sake!" Ginny was clinching her fists.

"He had time! Ever since that day. He can't just toy with me like this. I have to know now, are we going out, does he even like me?"

Harry opened his mouth, but Hermione once again interrupted him. "Who do you think you are? Of course he likes you. But you missed that all up last year when you wouldn't give him a chance."

"I was upset about Cedric…"

"By talking about your ex-boyfriend to your current boyfriend, who coincidentally saw him die? How do you think that made him feel?" Ginny shot back at her.

Harry wished this was over. He wanted it over now. But he was not running the show. At least Hermione and Ginny were talking again.

"You…You just want to steal him away from me." Cho sounded like she was going go cry. "You both are."

"You got some nerve!" Hermione muttered.

"Harry can make up his own mind, we don't have to do anything." Ginny places her hands on her hips.

Ron stood up and stretched. Harry knew what he had to say was not going to solve anything. "So… anyone hungry?" They of course ignored him.

"I want Harry to answer me." Cho whimpered. "I want to know if he wants to go out with me again."

Hermione shot Harry a look. "Don't answer her, she' trying to provoking you into saying what she wants!"

Ginny laughed, not the happiest of laughs what so ever. "C'mon, tell her. This should to be funny as her fantasy world comes crashing down."

Harry rubbed his face with both hand, streaking dirt across his face. "Damn it. What's with girls, huh?" Harry sighed heavily, and looked at Cho. "Look, of course I like you, but after last year I don't know how I feel about you exactly, okay? That kiss, it was unexpected to me, and I didn't know what to do. Don't get me wrong it was nice, but I was mostly nervous. When I said I wanted to start over I didn't mean we were going out, it meant that I wanted to get to know you again."

"So all this time you were just toying with me…" Cho pouted.

"Ugh!" Ginny was red faced. "You ask for him to tell you how he felt, and then you refused to listen to what he's saying. You just put in whatever you wanted him to say. You stupid…stupid girl!"

"Don't call me stupid!" Cho balled up her fist. "How dare you!"

"He said he wanted to take it slow and you're all acting the victim!" Ginny shouted.

"I am! If he felt that way he should have said something!"

"You don't know what you're talking about." Ginny shook her head. "You never understood him, you just were attracted to him because he's famous!"

Harry felt that if he got into the middle, trying to stop them that he might get hurt. It looked like they were going to go to blows. He wondered why Ginny was sticking up for him as much as she was, and why suddenly Hermione was strangely silent. She was looking at Ginny with the same look as Ron was, almost complete shock.

"I was not! I like him because he's cute!"

"Real convincing argument you have there!" Ginny breathed heavily. "He said he wants to take it slow. You gave him an ultimatum, now it's your turn. Are you willing to take it slow?"

"We shouldn't have to take it slow." Cho growled back. "We were already going out! What does he need to know about me, huh? All he needs to know is that I like him. If he likes me back then why do we need to 'get to know each other'?"

Ginny smiled slightly. "If you don't want to give him time, then he shouldn't have to give you the time to tell you to get lost!"

"What?!" Cho looked at Harry. "Are you going to let her talk to me like that?"

"What do you want me to do?" Harry looked almost scared at the two arguing. "Sure you're fighting about me, but it's a fight among yourselves. I'm not getting involved."

Ginny sighed. She looked at Harry, her eyes carrying pain in them. "You can solve this now by tell her one of two things. You want her, or you don't."

Cho nodded to what Ginny said and looked at Harry with intensity. Now Ginny was giving him an ultimatum. No matter what he said he would upset someone. But he knew he had to tell the truth, and hopeful this whole soap opera would be over. "I'm not ready to rush into a relationship."

Cho bottom lip quivered. "I'm leaving. I hope I never see you again, Harry Potter!"


	3. Chapter 3

Harry Potter and the Unicorn's Horn

by

Glee-chan

This is a fan fiction based on the J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe. I do not take claim to own any characters, places, and magical objects that are not original. Most characters are the property of Rowling, and I do not intend to make money off of this fan fiction, merely just writing for fun. I don't have a million dollars to fork over, thus does not want any legal action to be taken. The events in this story take place in a Book 6 alternate timeline

Chapter Three

Hermione and Ginny seemed quite happy after Cho Chang left the Burrow. Harry and Ron were a bit happy also, as the fighting and the strange tensions between the three girls seemed to leave with Cho. But still, there was an unanswered question. Why did both Hermione and Ginny argue with Cho tooth and nail over something that seemed so stupid. Ron and Harry just had to give up on this question, saying that it was something only a woman could understand.

"Still," Ron had said to Harry before the had went to sleep the night Cho left. "Ginny's been worked up ever since that kiss."

Harry knew that Ron was right. First she was angry at Hermione, and acting awkward around him, then she seemed defensive over him when Cho started her badgering. The next morning Harry was awakened by Ron closing the door to his room too loudly as he was exiting. Harry sat straight up from his sleeping bag and reached for his glasses that was on a night table next to Ron's bed. He heard Ron's door open again, but instead of seeing Ron come in, he saw Hermione.

"Oh good you're up. I was just about to wake you." Hermione, who was still in pajamas spoke softly.

"How come?"

"Well I was hoping to talk to you alone, and when I heard Ron leave, I thought this would be a good time."

Harry wondered why girls had to be so weird. He gestured her in. Harry watched as Hermione walked in soft closing the door behind her. She then crossed the room and sat down at the foots edge of his sleeping bag.

"D'you mean all that stuff about Cho?"

"How do you mean?"

"About how you still liked her and all that?"

"To be honest I don't know what I feel towards her. Mostly I felt uncomfortable. And miserable when she started fights with you and Ginny." Harry shrugged. "I liked her last year, and I guess I am attracted to her, but I don't think I like her so much now. We really had nothing in common, and we could never talk about anything at all."

Hermione smiled. "Good. That's all I wanted to know."

She started to get up and Harry looked at her strangely. "What was that all about?"

"No reason, I just wanted to know."

But it was obvious she had something up her sleeve. She quickly left the room. As soon as the door shut, Ron came back in. He was looking down the hallway as he shut the door behind him, then came back to his bed.

"What did she want?"

"She wanted to steal a pair of your boxers." Harry teased.

Later at breakfast, the two girls kept talking to themselves and giggling. Harry and Ron decided it would be best to leave them be. They did not want to get involved in another one of those fights that had been going on. After breakfast, the two went out doors to fly around on their brooms. Since Harry was to be the new Gryffindor Team Captain, he wanted her and Ron to practice a little bit before going to school. Some how he knew Katie Bell would not let him get away with just picking the old team without try outs.

"Why can't you have the girl-fighting problems?" Harry called out to Ron as they whizzed pass each other.

"I'm just lucky I guess." Ron smirked.

For about an hour Harry served Quaffles to Ron, and he more or less blocked the majority of them. When they reached the ground Harry made a comment that Ginny would have been better at serving the Quaffle, as she is a chaser. Ron shrugged, but pointed out that they did not have to deal with girl problems.

When they went indoors, Ron went to get something to eat, and Harry sat down at the kitchen table next to Hermione. She was looking at yet another one of her text books. When Harry sat down next to her, she closed the book and stared at him until he asked her why she was acting funny.

"I'm not acting funny." Hermione stated.

"Do I have something on my face, or anything like that?" Harry felt his face, then his hair, which was standing on end, no more so than usual.

"No."

"Why are you looking at me?"

"I want to ask you a question, but I don't know how to go about asking it?" Hermione said bluntly.

"Just go ahead and say it. If you're going to stare at me all day trying to figure out the best way to ask it, it'll drive me nuts." Harry looked at Ron who was now sitting across from them at the kitchen table. His mouth was full of food.

"Ask what?" Ron spoke in a muffled voice.

"I don't think I should ask it now." Hermione looked at Ron.

"Why not?" Ron asked.

"Because it's kind of personal."

"He'll tell me later anyway." Ron nudged. "Won't you Harry?"

"Yeah I probably will."

"Okay fine. But promise not to get mad, Ron?"

"Why would I get mad?"

"Just promise."

"Fine I promise."

Harry was wondering where this was leading. "Well out with it."

"Harry…if…if say Ginny was not.. not Ron's sister… would you… you know… go out with her?"

Ron suddenly was looking straight at Harry, after giving a Hermione a crazy look. "Oi! What is she on?"

Harry felt his face warm up, knowing it was changing a shade pinker. He saw that both Ron and Hermione noticed this. "Well… er… you see."

Ron leaned forward. "Well?"

Harry shrugged, quickly looking away. "I don't know. I don't want to think about it. She's Ron's sister…out of bounds…"

Hermione sighed loudly. "Oh."

Harry still felt uncomfortable. "I… I can't say I haven't thought about it…" he looked at Ron, then quickly thought of a way to retract what he just said. "…but I don't think it'd be right, being that she's you're little sister and all."

"Eh…Better you than some prat." Ron muttered.

Hermione's eyes danced slightly. "Ugh boys are weird. Why can't you just say you like her Harry, and Ron, how come you can't say it's okay?"

Harry and Ron looked at Hermione both giving her bizarre looks. "What are you going on about?" Ron asked.

Hermione laughed. "See, you're both pretending that you didn't have that conversation, even though it just now happened."

Ron shifted in his seat. "It's not like its a comfortable conversation, Hermione."

Harry nodded. "Boys don't talk about stuff like that to each other."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well it would save everyone a good amount of time if you would."

She got up and left the kitchen table. Harry and Ron glanced at each other a couple times not saying anything. Then Ron gave a big sigh. "If you want to go out with her, go ahead."

Harry looked down. "I don't know if I want to get into that all over again. You saw how crazy Cho acted."

"Isn't that the truth." Ron nodded. "Ginny's not crazy like she is though. Plus if you're with her I don't have to worry about anyone else being with her. Just don't let me catch you snogging her or something."

Harry face went red. "I told you Ron, I can't. Say we do go out, and things go wrong. Then our friendship would be--"

"Yeah, I guess so. Eh, let's not worry about it. If it happens it happens, if not so what." Ron leaned back in his chair.

"Yeah, good idea. Girls are too complex to figure out anyhow."

The holiday had ended and everyone made their way to the Hogwarts Express. Because Ron and Hermione were still prefects, Harry had to fine a compartment for himself. Ginny normally hung out with other people at school, so he did not expect her to join him in his compartment. However she surprised him and decided to visit her friends later, on seeing that Harry would be traveling alone.

Harry knew that eventually Neville Longbottom or Luna Lovegood would have come and visited him, so he did not really buy the excuse Ginny gave him on joining him. However he did not question this long, as he knew it would get very lonely just sitting in there alone. As alone as anyone can get on a train full of people anyhow.

It seemed that girls were constantly looking at them, giggling, and looking away shyly. He did not know what was the problem, and figured it had to be the Daily Prophet announcing that he was the so-called Chosen One. It really annoyed him when a group of four year girl stopped by the compartment to gawk at him, then Romilda Vane offered a seat in her compartment if he was lonely. When Ginny chased them off and shut the compartment door he was relieved.

"I think the Prophet will be the end of me. One moment they hate me the next I'm the savor of the world." Harry muttered and leaned back in his seat, opposite from Ginny.

"I don't think those girls where admiring you because of what the Daily Prophet says." Ginny giggled.

"You think they wanted to ogle at my scar then?"

"Ogle yes. Your scar, probably not." Ginny smiled. "You're quite the cutie and pretty cool, that's why you're getting all those girls attention."

"Cool? Since when?"

"Oh, how about defeating Voldemort like three or four times, or being captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, or how about you're an infamous rule breaker, an extreme bad boy."

"I'm no where near as bad as Fred and George were."

"There are rumors that they took you under their wing. That's how you rarely get caught. Plus because you know Hermione and Ron, you can get away with more stuff because their prefects."

Harry smiled. "Some of that is true."

"Well that's why they admire you. But I think they admire you for the wrong reasons." Ginny stretched slightly in her seat.

"Really? What should they admire me for then?"

"That you think about others all the time, that you're extremely brave and risk your life to help people. That you're not afraid of Lord Voldemort, but also don't have a big head about it. I think that makes you cooler than the bad boy thing." Ginny, leaned against the side of her seat, neared the window. "You only break rules to help people. Fred and George broke the to do practical jokes."

"Some times I break them for no reason…" Harry muttered, not really wanting to stop hearing Ginny praise him. "I'm not a saint."

"People make mistakes. At least you admit them." Ginny yawned. "This train ride is making me tired."

"I'm not so tired. If you want you can take a nap and I'll wake you up when the food trolley comes."

Ginny sat up, then as if she had an idea in her head, she blushed slightly. She stood up and sat on the seat next to Harry then leaned her head on his shoulder. "You don't mind if I use you as a pillow, do you?"

Harry swallowed hard. "Er… um… No."

"Oh. Okay." Ginny pulled the arm she was leaning over around her neck and placed Harry's hand on her shoulder. Then she nuzzled her head more comfortably on Harry's shoulder.

Harry felt that sensation that he felt when Ginny had kissed him again. The sensation centered around the body heat that Ginny was giving off on the one side of his body. He could not tell for sure, but Ginny's breathing got heavier, indicating that she might be a sleep. He did not want to look down and check, because moving might wake her up. Once again time seemed to stop for him as he felt her small body curl up against his. He did not want it to end, but of course it had too.

Harry saw Hermione walked pass the compartment, chasing a third year. He was glad he was not a prefect. When Hermione passed again, she stopped and looked in on Harry, then saw Ginny sleeping on his shoulder. She gave a face the girls often got when they thought something was cute. Harry made a face at her.

A half hour later when the trolley came, the door opened, and Ginny woke up on her own, her eyes half closed and squinting when she first woke up. Harry, as was his Hogwarts Express custom, ordered one of everything, and shared with the compartment. This time it was only he and Ginny.

"I can't believe I slept that long. Is your body stiff?"

Harry's eyes shifted to the side then he looked back at Ginny picking up a box of chocolate frogs. "Err… um.. no not really."

Ginny smiled. "Good, I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable." She shoved a bean from her Berties Every Flavored Jelly Bean box into her mouth. She then made a sour face and pulled out the bean and throw the half chewed thing out the window. "Manure…I hate manure."

Harry had to laugh at that. Ginny quickly abandoned the beans and grabbed chocolate mint popper. When the chocolate popped in her mouth she jumped and giggled at herself.

"I like sleeping with you." Ginny said out of no where. Harry must have obviously blushed a bright red because Ginny's eyes went wide when she realized how that sounded. "I mean, sleeping on you…napping… you're a good pillow."

"I've been told I'm good at other things." Harry smirked. "But I think those rumors are highly exaggerated."

"Oh I don't know." Ginny smiled and moved closer to him. Harry felt his heart pound faster as she neared him. She then snatched his chocolate frog and leaned back down to the seat she was sitting on. "Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you were a book character?"

"What?"

"Like do you ever sometimes think that your life is a book, and you, me, everyone are just characters in it, and that some person right now is just reading about what we are doing."

"Not really? Once I thought that about being in a TV show."

"What's a TV?"

"Oh. Err. It's this box that shows moving stories."

"Weird. Muggles just sit in front of a box and watch that?"

"Yea."

"Don't they get bored?"

"If the program on is boring then yeah."

Ginny scrunched her nose. "It doesn't sound very entertaining to me."

"One day I'll have to show you, then you'll understand. Or maybe I can take you to a movie." Harry thought about it.

"What's that?"

Harry explained as well as he could what a Movie was. That people would go into dark rooms called cinemas and watch a big screen that had moving people and images that told stories. Ginny really did not understand this either, but she seemed interested that he wanted to take her to one.

"Do a lot of people go to those things?"

"Yeah, loads. It's a social occasion. You can go with friends, by yourself, or go out on a date."

Ginny leaned closer. "I don't see how sitting looking at a big picture is romantic."

"I guess actually looking at the film isn't romantic, but sitting in the dark holding hands and stuff is."

"If we go to a … movie… would you hold my hand?" Ginny smiled softly.

Harry's body got that tingling feeling again. "I guess that would depended on if you wanted me too."

Ginny looked down, as if she was thinking of something, then look back up, glancing out the window. She still had that small smile on her face. "I would definitely want you to hold my hand." She said after a while.

Harry wondered once again why girls were so weird. She had to like him, he just knew it, but how come she just could not say it. Hermione went on and on about how Ron never talked about such things, but girls did, but Harry did not see any different. She kept giving him clues that maybe she did like him, but nothing so concrete that made him know for sure.

While he was trying to figure all this out in his head, he cleaned up the candy mess they had made, and placed it in a pile on the vacant seat across from them. Ginny looked from the window, watching him, with that smile still on her face. When he had finished she pushed herself away from the window and leaned up against him, the side of her head touching his cheek.

He could smell her hair, although he made no sniffing nose to indicate that he could. Her hand reached out, and grabbed his closest hand, then she rested their enjoined hands on her lap. She gave a satisfied sigh.

"I think this is how it would be if we were in a cinema." Ginny spoke softly. There was a long pause then Ginny spoke again, her voice sounding slightly scared as she talked. "You know I liked you ever since I saw you."

Harry heart skipped a beat. He really did not know what to say to that. She was waiting for him to say something, but he couldn't think of the right thing to say. When he opened his mouth to say something Ginny spoke again.

"I know that's something hard to respond to, but I always hoped that one day we could be together." She spoke softly. "Remember when I sent you that valentine? I was so embarrassed, but that's how I felt… then and now."

"I…Ginny…See, I think I always had a place for you, after I saw what Voldemort did to you. I just never let myself realized it until that day when you kissed me. I couldn't hide it from myself anymore, and right then I knew I liked you… But I didn't know how you felt, or what Ron would think."

Ginny pulled herself off of Harry, but still kept his hand in her lap. She looked at him with a smile on her face. "I tried to tell myself that I didn't like you, that I moved on. Hermione kept telling me too. But when I kissed you I felt … like the world stopped, and I didn't want it to start up again. When I pulled away, I saw your face, and I knew you felt it too."

Harry swallowed hard. "Does…does that mean we…. We.."

"I don't know." Ginny looked down. "I don't want to, you know, rush you into a relationship. You didn't want to be with Cho because--"

"Because Cho was an annoying git." Harry finished for her.

Ginny laughed, she shook her head, and laughed again. "That wasn't what you told her…"

"She never gave me time for me to sort out what I felt for her. By the time she wanted an answer I was so annoyed with her I just wanted her to go away." Harry grumbled. "Besides, I knew partly that I couldn't go out with her if I wanted to…err … go out with someone else."

Ginny released Harry's hand, only too launch herself onto Harry embracing him into a hug. Because she was hugging him from a sideways position he really could not hug back, although he wanted to. When she let him go, her bottom lip shifted slightly to the side of her top lip, as if she were thinking.

"What?" Harry blinked, seeing her look like she was concentrating.

"This is where you kiss me now." Ginny said shyly, her cheek pink.

Harry's face grew warm, following Ginny's example. He had never really just kissed a girl, it always was the girl kissing him. But on looking at her face, all his worries went away. He didn't think about it, he just leaned forward, embraced her, and kissed her. This kiss seemed more intense than the first time she had kissed him, his whole body once again felt that spark of tingling sensation. He felt her soft moist lips opened slightly, and her tongue lightly glide into his mouth.

He could not believe what was happening Time again slowed. He could have sworn that the landscape outside the was moving at a slow craw, and leaves blowing from the train's gust were dangling in mid-air. He felt their tongues meeting softly in their mouths, slowly massaging the other in a sensual way. Time resumed when Ginny pulled back softly.

At first her eyes were closed and her cheeks bright pink, then when she opened her eyes, they widened, and her cheeks went from pink to red. Harry gave her a confused face, and saw her eye line was not looking at him but beyond him, looking out the glass of the compartment door. Harry had a bad feeling about what she was staring at, so embarrassed.

He turned around to see nearly fifty people just all staring into their compartment, all leaning in awkward positions to see. Harry's face transformed into some thing as similar as Ginny's. People he saw were Hermione who looked over joyed, Neville with a confused look on his face, Ron acting like he saw nothing, Katie smiling widely, Luna blowing kisses are both of them, Lavender and Parvati gossiping already about what they saw with huge giggles, Padma looking completely upset, among many others. Harry was relieved to see Cho was not among them. After the hoots and howls, most everyone returned to their seats, mainly because Hermione and Ron forced them too.

When they arrived at school, the whole Train had heard the news. Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley were going out. For some reason this seemed to be big news, not just among those in Gryffindor, but Ravenclaw also found this incredibly interesting. Rumors had already been spread that Harry and Cho were supposed to be trying to get back together. Hermione had suspicions on who started that rumor. Hufflepuff seemed mildly amused by the whole matter, while most Slytherins thought the whole thing was blown out of proportion. For once Harry agreed with the Slytherin students.

Still these gossips were more or less correct. Usually when gossip followed Harry they were 87 false. Harry would rather the school be talking about something true then something hatched up by the Daily Prophet. Ginny did not seem to mind either. It was not her first time in the spotlight, but she was not used to the whole school talking about her. But she was polite and took random questions from random girls in stride. Some questions, she told Harry, were just ridiculous.

After the chaos of the first week back in school, life resumed as normal, minus the yearly threat of Voldemort killing everyone. Harry found this odd that this school term so far was nothing but trivia life stuff, and not raving wizard kind. Twice he had talked to Dumbledore, but the Head Master assured Harry that everything was quiet. Harry was not sure he could believe him, after what happened last term.

The biggest change, minus Harry's love life, was that Slughorn, their new professor, was teaching Potions, and Snape was now teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Both Harry and Ron dreaded that class, and actually looked more forward to Potions, with Slughorn. They both didn't know in the beginning of the term they had to take Potions, so they didn't buy the books or materials. But on hearing from Professor McGonagall that Potions was required for Auror study, Harry and Ron were forced to attend class. Slughorn was good enough to lend both Harry and Ron books and materials from the used stacks.

Harry was delighted to discover that his used Potions book had notes left behind from a previous student. With those notes, potions did not seem as difficult as Snape made it out to be. Harry wondered slightly if it was Slughorn's teaching compared to Snape's. After a dreadfully long Potions class, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati were making their way toward the Gryffindor dormitories. Ever since school has started Lavender and Parvati seemed to be around more often, giggling and what not.

Ron groaned. "I didn't think that class would ever end. At least we got a free period."

Harry nodded in agreement. Lavender whispered something to Parvati, who giggled in response. Hermione, who apparently over heard what Lavender had said, looked from Lavender to Ron, her face turning white. Harry really did not want to get into what Hermione's new peeve could be. He just wanted to go to the common room, see Ginny if she was there, and just not think about anything.

Parvati broke away from Lavender and started walking closer to Harry. She was not giggling anymore and looked slightly embarrassed to ask him a question. "Harry, as odd as this is going to sound, I was hoping you'd help me with my potions homework."

Odd sounding it was indeed. If Snape heard that he would have flipped out. Ron glanced over his shoulder at Harry, on hearing the question and smirked. "Oi, get in line."

"What's that mean Ron?" Parvati pouted.

"It means I asked him first."

"Oh, go study with Hermione!" Parvati groaned. "I really need help, and for some reason Harry gets Potions this year."

Hermione frowned. "I never knew you had problems with Potions, Parvati."

"Snape was mean, but I understood him. This Professor Slughorn is kind of difficult for me to interpret, you know. He throws in all these stories in with the mixtures I get confused. Plus with Divination classes, Madame Trelawney has been adding more and more potions to our studies."

Harry shrugged, not knowing what to say. Parvati was genuinely asking him for help. "I really don't know what I can help you with. I just read the book and ignore him."

"When we were in D.A., you taught us loads. I know you can teach me potions." Parvati looked desperate.

Ron waved her off. "Why not ask Lavender, she seems to be doing alright in the class."

"You think so Ron?" Lavender smiled.

"Yeah, I guess." Ron scratched his head. "Well better than me I think."

"That wouldn't be a far line to cross" Hermione mumbled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron turned and looked at Hermione.

"Obviously that you're not a genus in Potions, Ron. Even you can't argue that."

"You're right. I can't." Ron grinned and laughed at himself. For whatever reason Lavender laughed with him.

"Well any help would be nice." Parvati pressed again. "Maybe just a look at your notes or something?"

"Alright. If you can read my handwriting."

"Thanks Harry." She looked like she would have hugged him, but then she thought different.

When they rounded the corner to travel down the hall leading to Gryffindor dormitories, Harry saw Ginny leaving a group of her friends and heading their direction. His heart skipped a beat, it seemed that happened often when he saw her after not seeing her in a long time. When Ginny caught sight of them, she quickened her step and met Harry giving him a big hug. Lavender and Parvati gave giggles at the sight.

"I was hoping you were heading for the common room." Ginny breathed a little more heavily. "My class just got out of Defense Against the Dark Arts." She made a sick face.

"I hate that class." Ron muttered. "Ever since Snape started teaching it that is."

"He's impossible." Ginny complained.

Padma and a group of Ravenclaw girls started to pass by. Parvati started to wave at her twin sister, when she noticed Padma pulling out her wand and pointing it at Harry. Harry stiffened up, and automatically shoved Ginny behind him. Both Ron and Hermione drew their wands out.

"Just what are you planning on doing?" Hermione almost shouted at Padma.

"Harry's in a love spell. I'm going to give him the counter jinx!" Padma quickly said.

Parvati shook her head. "I was with him all day. If someone gave him a love spell Lavender or I would have seen it."

Ginny's face went pink, the same shade when she had gotten angry at Cho Chang at the Burrow. "I can't believe this nonsense!" She walked from behind Harry and stood in front of him. "You think that rumor is true!"

"Isn't it?" A Ravenclaw girl spoke from behind Padma "It's a bit strange that last year he and Cho were going out, and this term suddenly he's going out with you!"

"They broke up last year, if you remember!" Ginny's hands were on her hips.

"Then why did he spend part of the summer at Cho's house." Padma lowered her wand.

"He was at MY house longer!" Ginny argued back.

"WITH Cho!" The other Ravenclaw girl pointed out.

Harry shook his head. "Enough! I'm not under some love potion."

Ron grinned slightly, placing his wand back in his robe. "I dunno mate, if you were under a love spell, you wouldn't know about it, now would you."

"Thanks for the help Ron." Harry looked at him sarcastically.

Padma flipped her long black hair over her shoulder. "You better watch out Ginny Weasley, Cho knows all about what you did to poor Harry, and she'll right everything, just you wait."

Ginny's faces grew a shade pinker. "I didn't do anything to him!"

But Padma and the other Ravenclaw girls had walked off. Harry gave a slight sight that wands weren't be pointed at him anymore then placed a hand on Ginny's shoulder. "Don't worry about all that. It's just a dumb rumor."

"Every one thinks I gave you a love potion, how can I not worry about that?" Ginny grumbled and hugged Harry.

"Because you know it isn't true. Besides, the whole school has thought worse things about me… me being the heir of Slytherin and all that nonsense, and I'm okay." Harry smiled trying to cheer her up.

"I guess your right. Let's just forget about it."

But the subject was something that could not be easily forgotten. For about a week, Harry had to dodge counter love jinx curses and Ravenclaw girls telling them how much Cho liked him. The few times he saw Cho, she looked slightly embarrassed at him, so Harry wondered if she even was involved with all this love spell nonsense. The two houses: Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, suddenly become highly competitive with each other. The Gryffindors rallying behind Ginny and the Ravenclaws against her. They competed with each other in almost every subject, trying to get awarded more house points and what not.

When Quidditch season was about to start Harry dreaded the day they would have to play against Ravenclaw. Harry was glad he held try outs, he had gotten two new Beaters, but his Chasers were almost the same as last term: Ginny Weasley and Katie Bell - both whom earned their spot on the team by trying out, and a new kid. Katie made sure no one got on the team, just because Harry was dating them. Ron stayed on as Keeper, even though he probably was not on his best for try outs. Harry knew Ron was the better choice of the others, even Katie agreed with that.

When the season started, Harry was relieved that their first game was with Slytherin, which they defeated far to easily on the account that Draco Malfoy never showed up for the game. Harry had wondered why Malfoy had a sudden lack of interest of trying to beat him, but in the end Harry was glad he did not have to see that worms face.

The week building up for the Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw the whole school seemed to pick sides. Hufflepuff and Slytherin all seemed to have an interest in the out come of this battle. The worse part for Harry was he knew that he and Cho would have to compete against each other, but also knew that Cho would be preoccupied with Ginny. While Cho never claimed to have started the rumors about love potions, she certainly was not friendly to Ginny in the least. Tempers often flared between Gryffindor friends of Ginny and Ravenclaw friends of Cho. Several girls had to see Madame Pomfrey for remove of puke hexs and pimple charms.

The day before the match, McGonagall had to give a speech to everyone that Quidditch was just a game and for everyone to calm down. The speech really did nothing to help. In the Great Hall after dinner, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, as well as a few other Gryffindors hung about to chat. Harry regretted this later, wishing he had gone to the common room.

Cho, Padma, and a few other Ravenclaw girls, walked over to the Gryffindor table. Harry got an uneasy feeling in his stomach when he saw Cho and Ginny's eyes lock for a split second. Thankfully they did not say anything to each other, Cho went from looking at Ginny to Harry.

"Oh- just because we're playing each other tomorrow, Harry, doesn't mean anything other than just playing Quidditch." Cho spoke softly, but by that point the Great Hall was so quiet everyone could hear her. "I just want to wish you good luck, and I'll see you tomorrow." She gave him a smile.

"Err…thanks? You too?" Harry stammered out.

Padma looked at Ginny, and narrowed her eyes. "What an outstanding personality our Quidditch captain has, wouldn't you agree?"

"Whatever." Ginny grumbled, and looked down at her book she was pretending to read.

"Outstanding personality?" Lavender muttered under her breath. "I'm sure it's normal to start rumors about boys you're not even going out with."

All the Ravenclaws turned and looked at Lavender. Harry was surprised that comment came from Lavender of all people. Even most of the Gryffindors looks amazed she actually said anything. Parvati just sunk in her seat, trying to avoid the situation.

"It's not a rumor if it's true." A Ravenclaw girl quickly said.

Ginny slammed her book on the table. "For the last time, it isn't true. I didn't gave Harry a love spell. If I did, wouldn't one of the fifty counter spells you have been shooting at him for week have worked?"

Cho's bottom lip shifted, clearly she was getting angry. "You're a clever girl, you have a friend like Hermione, who I'm positive believes that Harry is her pet slave! You created a love potion with that girl that normal counter jinx and spells can't cure!"

"Oh, you are so full of it!" Ginny shouted.

Harry dropped his head, banging it on the table, groaning loudly. He noticed that Ron was completely quiet, once again, over the whole issue. Harry thought it wise to follow his lead and not say anything. They never listened to him anyway, thinking everything he said was because he was under some spell.

"Am I? Where's your proof then? How can you prove me wrong?"

"Well where's your proof!" Hermione stood up. "All these things your talking about you made up!"

"My prove is sitting right here." Cho pointed to Harry. Harry raised from his lowered miserable position and sighed loudly. "He wanted to start things over, but then after seeing Ginny suddenly he wanted to take thing slow. Coincidence, I think not!"

"He never even got a chance to like you because you were all the time in his face!" Ginny now was standing up. "You had your chance, and you lost. The best girl won! Don't blame me because you couldn't hold on to him!"

"He wouldn't have left if you and Hermione weren't working together against me." Cho narrowed her eyes. "You two wanted him all to yourselves, and didn't like the fact that he really wanted to be with me!"

"Someone has delusions of grandeur…" Ron muttered. Harry turned and saw a smirk on his best friends face.

Lavender's face went pink. "Ron's right. What you're saying is complete nonsense. If Harry wanted to be with you, then you two wouldn't have broken up last year!"

Parvati lowered even more in here seat. "I'm not involved with this."

Harry stood up frustrated and picked up his books. "Nether am I, c'mon Parvati - lets study Potions in the common room."

Cho grabbed Harry's arm. "Harry. This is all about you! I know it's hard for you to understand, but they're using you!"

"Well I'll let you figure all this out on your own then. I'm tired of being fought over, and never having a say in the matter. It doesn't really matter if I'm here or not, so I'm taking the only person who doesn't care bout this nonsense with me."

Harry started to walk out the Great Hall, hearing Parvati's steps quicken behind him, running to catch up.


	4. Chapter 4

Harry Potter and the Unicorn's Horn

by

Glee-chan

This is a fan fiction based on the J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe. I do not take claim to own any characters, places, and magical objects that are not original. Most characters are the property of Rowling, and I do not intend to make money off of this fan fiction, merely just writing for fun. I don't have a million dollars to fork over, thus does not want any legal action to be taken. The events in this story take place in a Book 6 alternate timeline

Chapter Four

Harry and Parvati had reached the Gryffindor common room, not speaking a word to each other until one of them had to give the password. On entering in, the room was empty. Harry sat down on the floor near the fire place and gave a huge sigh. Parvati looked uncomfortable with the whole situation, but sat down with him.

"I'm.. I'm sorry about my sister." She said silently.

"It's not your fault." Harry sighed. He looked at her, and she looked just as miserable as he was. "What's wrong?"

"I'm afraid those Ravenclaw girls will think we have something going on now. No offense." Parvati looked shyly at Harry. "Worse of all, what if Ginny gets mad that you left her with Cho and took me with you… or she thinks the same thing… that we're… you know."

"Ginny knows me better than that." Harry reassured Parvati. "She'll probably be along later and apologize for fighting over me. I really don't understand what all the fuss is all about."

"I do." Parvati blinked, still looking uncomfortable. "Over the summer…um…well you and Ron have gotten really cute. All the girls are talking about it. That's why they are fighting over you. I don't know about Ginny, but I know a lot of girl that want to go out with you just because they think your cute."

"That's mental. I'm the same as I was last year. So is Ron. Besides, why isn't anyone fighting over him, and just me?"

"Well… you see they are fighting over him too. Just not as loudly." Parvati leaned forward and spoke even softer. "Please don't tell anyone, but Lavender really wants to go out with Ron."

"What?"

"Yes. She's not the only one. That's why we've been around a lot more lately."

Harry paused, now realizing why Lavender kept laughing at Ron's jokes, even the not so funny ones. "What about you?" After he asked that he saw her blush. "Err, Sorry I guess I shouldn't ask that."

"No. It's okay. I do think you're cute and all, but there's too much work that goes into going out with you. Too much maintenance. Plus I'd be worried sick every time you had to save the world. Poor Ginny, I feel bad for her, avoiding hexes down the hallways. Actually I'm trying to stay out of it. I don't really fancy anyone at the moment. It's enough to deal with Lavender and her crush and this whole Ravenclaw verses Gryffindor situation."

Harry felt slightly embarrassed. Girls. He'd never understand them. Then he thought about what that Ravenclaw girl said, about the Yule Ball and suddenly felt bad for Parvati, knowing that must have been a cruel thing to say. "Err…listen, about what that girl said about the Yule ball--"

"Don't sweat it. To be honest, I was excited you asked me because you were in the Triwizards Tournament. No other reason. I just wanted to go with someone cool, and you where the coolest person who asked me, which I was surprised by the way. But at the Ball, I could tell you really didn't want to be there. That you only went because Professor McGonagall made you." Parvati smiled. "And remember, I ditched you…"

"Oh yeah. I remember."

"I felt a little bad about it, but I guess you really didn't care." Parvati smiled, then looked up as if she were thinking. "I wonder what would have happened if I didn't ditch you and we danced that whole night. I wonder if things would be different."

Harry suddenly had an uncomfortable feeling about where this conversation was going. She was getting that dreamy look in her eye, the same look she had gotten when they had their first dance at the Yule Ball. But thankfully, to his relief she snapped out of it, and looked at the fire.

"I wonder how long they'll keep fighting over you."

"I really wish they wouldn't." Harry grumbled.

The door to the common room opened and trooping in were the Gryffindors that were at the table in the Great Hall. Ginny and Hermione's faces both looked pink with anger, and Lavender's eyes never left Ron, who never noticed her. Ginny stomped over to the fire place and plopped down next to Harry, leaning her head on his shoulder. Parvati gave her a small wave which Ginny barely noticed.

"That girl is just awful… simply awful." Ginny complained.

Harry didn't really say anything, still feeling frustrated that they fought over him even when he kept telling them to stop. Hermione sat down in an armchair in front of Harry, behind Parvati. Her face was still just a red as it was when she entered.

"I'm sorry you have to go through all this." Ginny suddenly said and pushed off Harry's shoulder, leaning in for a kiss. On her kiss, suddenly most of his frustration left him. It was a short peck on his lips, but enough to calm him down slightly. She pulled back and looked at Parvati. "How's the studying going?"

Parvati looked embarrassed again. "We didn't quite get around to it. We were kind of venting."

Ginny smiled and went back to her leaning position on Harry. "I can understand that. I mean the things those girls said…"

Harry glanced from Parvati to Hermione. "What's her deal?" he asked Ginny.

"Cho accused her of wanting to go out with you and me? Can you believe that?"

"What?" Harry looked at Ron to confirm the story.

Ron nodded. "She even called Hermione a bisexual sex pervert."

Harry shook his head. "You got to be kidding me. Cho can say some mean things, But I never heard her go that far."

Ginny sat up. "When you left, she went crazy. She almost was like a different person. She said Hermione was bisexual, that I just wanted to be with you because you're famous, that Parvati secretly was trying to steal Harry from everyone, and that you got angry at us because we won't let you be with her!"

Harry shook his head in disbelief. Parvati's face went white. "Why would I try to steal Harry?"

Lavender sat down next to her friend. "Padma even looked like she believed it. Then Cho said that you wanted Harry so you and me could have our way with him."

"That bitch!" Parvati looked like she was about to cry. "I didn't do anything but leave because I didn't want to be involved."

Ginny gave a deep breath. "That's not the worse of it. As Cho and her Ravenclaw friends were leaving, they saw Katie enter the Great Hall and cornered her. They accused her of peeping at you in the shower."

"You have to be pulling my leg." Harry looked at Katie, who was looking so angry in the corner of the room, Harry thought she might break something.

"They then provoked Katie raise the stakes for the match." Ginny looked like she could puke. "Since she's 2nd in charge, they got her so worked up she agreed on a bet for the Quidditch game."

Katie looked at Harry and she shook her head. "I'm sorry I wasn't thinking."

"What now?" Harry groaned, sort of expecting this. It was just like summer holiday all over again. "Do I have to kiss people again?"

Katie shook her head. "You have to go out with Cho on three dates if Ravenclaw wins."

Harry groaned. "And if we win…"

Hermione looked as shifty as nearly everyone in the room who was in the Great Hall when this pact was made. "You're supposed to negotiate that with her… she said Ravenclaw will do whatever you want."

Harry stood up, frustrated beyond his previous frustration. If he had stayed in the Great Hall, all this would not have happened. "When I talk to her tomorrow, I'm breaking this stupid bet."

"She won't let you, you know she won't" Ginny looked miserable.

Harry shifted his jaw. "Then we just have to make sure Ravenclaw loses."

The next morning, the whole school was in the stadium surrounding the Quidditch pitch. While both teams where in the locker room getting geared up Harry met Cho in the referee's office. Madame Hooch was there, along with Hermione and Padma, to make sure the negotiations between the bet was fair. Harry was surprised that the whole school got wrapped up in this, and that they were all equally as excited as about what the stipulations of the bet would be. In the back of Harry's mind, he hoped Dumbledore would have put an end to all this nonsense, but he had rarely seen him of late, and when he did, the Professor always looked tired.

Cho, whom Harry thought, looked less prettier and prettier as this whole ordeal continued on, gave Harry a polite and somewhat flirtatious smile. Harry tried to give a smile back to her, but he was not all to sure his mouth formed one. She had brought a parchment with her end of the bet.

"Harry, I know you're a man of your word, but Padma insisted that this parchment be charmed." Cho looked truly sorry. "She says that with the effects of the love spell you might back out on your word, so in signing this it'll insure you'll do as you agreed."

Harry felt frustrated but kind of expected something like this. "Fine with me. Tell me what you expect of me."

Cho blushed. "Well this contract stipulates three dates, that are to be just the two of us, for the minimum amount of time to be spent on the date to be four hours, and at least one kiss for each date."

Harry was surprised at how much she had worked out. But the contract was more or less what he expected. He knew if he lost Ginny would be pissed, but what else could he do? They were the ones that agreed to this bet, not him, he had to back up what they had agreed upon. "Sounds fair."

Hermione was no dummy when it came to enchanted parchment, and had one of her own which she was planning to write the stipulations, whenever Harry told Cho what he wanted her to do. Madame Hooch looked as interested at everyone in the school over this pact. Apparently this was a first in Hogwarts history.

"My contract will be something similar." Harry had thought this over all night, and thought he had come with an appropriate punishment for Cho if they won. "You have to go on three dates, same conditions that you have for me. Only that I will be allowed to chose who you go with by setting a contest up for each of the three dates."

Hermione scribbled quickly on her parchment. Padma quickly objected. "What do you mean contests?"

"See, for each date, I have a series of contests, open for any student in the school, as long as they are in my grade or higher. This can be a broom race, or a scavenger hunt, magic duel, whatever. Whoever wins gets to go with Cho for one of her three dates."

"That's crazy!" Padma shook her head. "She'd be going out with three different people each time!"

Harry shrugged. "Well would you rather it be one person who could be horrible, or three random people who might not be so bad?"

Cho's bottom lip shifted slightly, but she didn't seem so upset with it. "I think that's fair, Padma. The contestants will be in your grade or mine, it shouldn't be that much of a problem." She smiled slightly. "I'll agree to this only if YOU agree to join in on your contests."

Hermione stood up this time. "Not an option. Harry didn't get to amend your contract."

Cho correctly stated. "Harry was not involved with the initial agreement of the bet, Katie was. She said nothing about Harry being able to change some things in my contract. Where as I'm talking to Harry as he's making the contract, giving me the right to ask changes before I agree to them."

Harry grumbled. Hermione looked at Madame Hooch. "She's right in this."

Hermione sat down, pink in the face and looked at Harry. Harry sighed. There was no getting past all this. Cho was from Ravenclaw, and was perfectly smart enough to maneuver her way to getting what she wanted. "Alright, I'll compete in the contests, if that's the case then it will be only fair if Ron or Hermione makes the challenges. If I where to make them, I'd have an advantage."

Cho looked at Padma, who just shrugged back at her. Cho thought it over then nodded her head. "While I know you would love to have an unfair advantage just to go out with me, I think it wouldn't be fair to everyone else."

Harry controlled himself not to say anything to that comment. He gave Hermione a look to just write the last thing they had agreed upon and not start an issue. Madame Hooch took the contracts from Harry to Cho.

"Are all parties satisfied."

"Relatively." Cho smiled.

"I guess so."

"Then this negotiation has ended! I'll take both contracts. Who ever loses the match must sign one of these. Captains, to your teams… You have an hour to prepare, while someone informs the crowd of the agreement."

The Gryffindor locker room looked grim when Harry and Hermione entered. Harry noticed as he made his way to the locker room that conditions outdoors looked to be a bit dodgy. He guessed that during the match rain would start to pour. So the first thing it told his team was equip rain gear, goggles, and uniforms of that nature. After that announcement Hermione told the team what they were playing for, Cho's stipulations and Harry's. Ginny looked completely angry.

"She would! She would trick Katie into agreeing to something so Harry couldn't disagree with it later." Ginny shouted.

"I'm so sorry Ginny." Katie mumbled.

"It's not your fault." Ginny growled.

Harry sighed, emotions were running high. What would Oliver Wood do in a situation like this, he thought. "Look. I know this is a high pressure game, and it feels like we have to win. But don't let the bet, or Ravenclaw, get to you. Treat this as any other game against a really good team." Harry looked around. "As of now there is no bet. No one thinks about it out there, you got me. I want everyone focused on what's in front of you instead of that might be."

He saw the locker room absorbing this speech, excepting it. Ginny was the only one that looked like she could not forget how big the stakes where. "Chasers, Ravenclaw plays defensively normally, but on the current situation, they are bound to start playing more offensively, which will make them sloppy. Play calmly, steal as many Quaffle as you can, when throwing for a point, do so technically, not emotionally."

Katie nodded, with the same seriousness she gave to Oliver when he was in charge. Ginny seemed to have calmed down when he was giving Chaser orders.

"Beaters, We want to keep the pressure on the Ravenclaw Chasers, so they'll continue to play opposite of their normal method of play. When deflecting Bludgers, aim around the Chasers, just to jarring them up a bit." Harry did not want to give orders to actually hit the Ravenclaw Chasers, although he was tempted.

"Ron, the Ravenclaw Chasers will be throwing erratic Quaffles in your direction, on account of the extra pressure from our Beaters and Chasers constantly stealing from them. On the most part they'll probably aim for you in frustration. I know this is hard to ask but if one heads for you take the hit, don't let them score a point."

Ron smiled. "I'm not falling for that trick Ginny pulled again."

Harry sighed. "As for me I'll try to catch the Snitch as quickly as possible, but it will probably be hampered on the account that I have to keep an eye on the game. I don't want any distractions, so I'm giving Katie command of the pitch."

Katie blinked. "Me?"

"You spent more time with Wood than I have, and you're the most experience player in this game." Harry smiled. "That and no one would expect that me, the Captain, is not giving any orders, that can't adjust in time. I want you to use the hand signals we been using during practice. That way they won't know who's giving orders."

"You're the captain." Katie looked nervous.

"If you think you need help then I'll take over, but I think you'll do fine."

The game lasted hours and not one team scored a single point. The whole school was on their feet, excited that a game could last this long. Harry was proud that Katie was doing well with giving orders and hand signals, yet Ginny and her where not sinking any points. Cho very smartly, was following him, shooting off after him, if she thought he spotted the Snitch. During the middle of it all, it started pouring down rain, as Harry thought it would.

Harry thought that perhaps the strategy of playing to annoy the Ravenclaw was working, but not effectively enough. Because of the rain, Harry could not signal Katie to pick up the aggression, so he had to force himself to zoom down towards her and shout an order. He also had seen that Katie's hand signals weren't working well anymore, with all the down pour.

"Katie, forget the hand signals!" Harry shouted, spitting rain water from his mouth. "I want you and Ginny to pick up the aggression. Playing cat and mouse has worked so far but we need a change."

"Gotcha. Don't worry about us, catch that Snitch." Katie waved him off.

Harry smirked and raised his broom to a higher altitude. He saw a drenched Cho follow him up. She flew her broom right beside his and waved. "I'm glad you're not letting me win."

"Why would I do that?" Harry smiled at her.

He glanced down and thought he saw a golden streak close to the Quidditch pitch ground. But Cho would be close behind him and there would be no way to drive for it if she saw what he was driving for. He had to distract her, scare her, something. He thought of something, something really risky, and he wasn't sure if it legal in Quidditch. However it was raining extremely hard and it was tough to see anything. He thought perhaps he could get away with it.

Harry swallowed hard and reached into his robe subtlety grabbing his wand. Then tipping himself backwards he fell head first off his broom. He barely heard Cho's gasp as he descended towards the ground. When Harry whizzed downward past Ginny he pulled his wand out and whispered: "Accio Firbolt!"

Instantly his broom soured down after him. Luckily he snatched the broom before his body would have slammed on to the ground. Quickly glancing around at the crowd, he wondered if they saw what he had just done. Thankfully they all thought he just made a nose dive, and were all looking at Cho wondering why she was not following him. Harry stuffed his wand in his robes again and zoomed near the ground zipping after the ever weaving golden Snitch.

The Snitch raised higher, near Ron, who was doing a great job defending the hoops. Cho seemed to realize that Harry had not fallen to his death and was now chasing the Snitch. But she was too far behind to catch him. The Snitch traveled closer towards Ron, and Harry knew that in order to grab it, he probably would end up slamming broom first into his friend. But they needed to win. He needed to win.

Before he collided into Ron, he leaped off his broom, reaching out catching the Snitch. However he still had to shift his weight to that he would not ram into Ron. Some how he manage to barely avoid him, but he went souring down back first to the playing field. This would hurt, and he'd be back in the hospital wing with Madame Pomfrey again. He held on to the Snitch as tightly as he could, when he felt his body black out from the pain of slamming to the ground.

Harry woke up as he predicted, in the Hospital wing with a troop of muddy and wet Gryffindors, and some Ravenclaws staring at him. Harry blinked and coughed slightly as he felt pressure on his ribs. He looked over himself and saw left leg was bandaged and right arm was as well. But from the looks on the Gryffindors faces he knew they won.

"Harry, you crazy bugger, why'd you leap off you broom like that!" Ron suddenly asked as soon as he realized Harry was awake.

Ginny shushed him and came closer to his bedside. "How are you feeling?"

"As well as to be expected, I think." Harry smiled slightly. "Wouldn't be Hogwarts without a trip to the Hospital Wing."

Ginny lightly hit him on his left arm. "Well you'll be in here for a week. Madame Pomfrey had mend four broken bones."

Hermione smiled. "That's still faster than the Muggle World, Ginny. A fall like that in our world and Harry would have been dead, or paralyzed."

Cho looked as concerned as Ginny did. "You shouldn't have jumped, Harry. You got lucky the first time when you fell off your broom."

Katie looked at Harry. "You fell off your broom?"

Ginny raised her eyes. "I thought I saw him fall in front of me, but when I looked he was zooming near the ground on his broomstick so I thought nothing of it."

Harry quickly thought. "I guess I slipped off my broom because of all the rain. It must have fallen with me, because at the last second I saw it and grabbed it."

Cho nodded. "That that I saw, although I didn't see him catch himself, just him and the broom fall."

Harry sighed. "Well catching the Snitch, jumping off like that, it was intentional. If I hadn't done that, I would have crashed into Ron, and both of us would be in here right now. I was going so fast I couldn't stop myself. So I jumped."

Ron shrugged. "Nearly fell off my broom when you went flying by. I don't think I ever was so scared."

Harry laughed, but it hurt to do so, on the account on his ribs. "Even when facing a giant spider."

Ron turned slightly white. Lavender, who Harry had not noticed before, was suddenly there, hugging on Ron's arm. Ron gave her an odd look but ignored her.

Cho sighed. "Anyway, I kept my word and signed your parchment. When you feel better I guess you can start a contest."

Harry nodded. He notice Madame Pomfrey come in. She was appalled at the amount of people, and shouted. "This isn't the Great Hall, two visitors at a time, out with you!"

Lavender, Neville, Luna, Katie, Cho, the Gryffindor beaters, Padma, and Parvati where all forced out. Ginny refused to budge, so Hermione and Ron decided to take turns. Ron wanted to stay first, so he and Ginny sat by his bed for a while.

"I still can't believe you just leaped off your broom like that, mate."

"It was that, or slow down and let Cho pass me and get the Snitch." Harry spoke weakly.

"I thought you said you couldn't slow down." Ginny poked his left arm.

"I couldn't… if I wanted to win." Harry gave a playful smile.

"Still you could have gotten really hurt." Ginny looked worried.

Harry saw Ron make a face behind Ginny's back and it was all he could do not to laugh. "I think it would hurt far more if I had to go on three dates with Cho."

Ron laughed. "That girl is mental. And you would have to kiss her too. You know you would have never gotten rid of her after that."

"Still, you didn't have to go to the hospital just for me." Ginny pouted.

Ron made another face. "Sure it was for you, but it was for everyone else too. I mean do you think he wanted everyone to listen to Cho rant and rave about how Harry is her eternal love and all that?"

Harry nodded to Ron's comment. "And a plus side is that I don't have to go to Snape's class for a whole week."

"Didn't think of that." Ron pondered it. "You should have rammed into me also."

Ginny turned around and threw a parchment at her brother. "You know full well Hermione will be in here making him do his homework and tutoring him."

Ron sidestepped the parchment. "Better than Snape, I'd say."

"Ronald Weasley!" It was Madame Pomfrey again. "Look at the muddy mess you're causing. Get out and take a shower for Christ sake!"

Ginny quickly looked down at herself and realized she too was muddy. "I guess we should go take a shower. You don't mind, do you Harry. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"It's okay Ginny, he'll survive an hour without you!" Ron teased than waved. "Get some rest and hurry up and get out of here. I'll get Hermione."

Ginny gave Harry a goodbye kiss on his forehead and wandered out. Madame Pomfrey muttered something incoherent and pulled out her wand, cleaning up the mud and water that was on the floor. She gave Harry a kind smile and retreated to her office. Harry stared at the ceiling, in utter silence. He really couldn't move, even with the bandages. His ribs hurt so much that he was stuck in that position.

About an half an hour later Hermione came in, dressed in fresh clothes. She pulled a chair close to Harry's bed and sat down next to him, looking slightly sleepy. "Cho is furious."

"Already?" Harry looked at Hermione.

"She thinks Ginny made you take that dive, just so you wouldn't go out with her." Hermione grumbled.

"How can Ginny make me do anything?" Harry sighed. Somehow this did not surprise him.

"Cho says the love potion is so strong she willed you to jump off that broom." Hermione shook her head. "She waited outside the common room just to yell at Ginny, telling her it's all her fault that you're in the hospital."

"I hope Ginny didn't punch her." Harry smiled.

"No. She cried." Hermione looked serious. "I guess a part of her believes she pushed you to win at any cost."

"That's not true. She had nothing to do with me jumping off. I did it cause I was tired of this whole business." Harry lowered his eyebrows. "You know, she's really starting to annoying me."

"I told her not to listen to Cho, that she's a sore loser, but Ginny wouldn't listen to me."

"I got to talk to her." Harry grumbled, but realized unless Ginny came to him he was going no where.

"I'm not sure anything you can say will help her." Hermione sighed. "She needs to understand that it's not her fault on her own."

"It is her fault." Came Cho's voice. She had just came into the Hospital wing, holding a bouquet of flowers, looking like she had dressed up for a date, wearing a nice sky blue dress with a shear white shawl.

Hermione was on her feet again. "Just get out, okay, he's too tired to deal with all this love triangle business."

"Oh, you would like that, wouldn't you. You want him all to yourself, trying to get me to go so you can be alone with him."

Harry groaned a miserable groan. This time he could not just walk away.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, how ever did you guess? Damn you caught me, I was so close to making him my love slave."

"Sarcasm doesn't become you." Cho shook her head. "Joke all you want, but I know that deep down that's your plan. You can't stand it that he might want someone else and not you."

"No you can't stand it that he HAS someone else and it's NOT you!" Hermione pointed at Harry.

"See, I knew you thought he was yours!"

"What? He's going out with Ginny not me, you dumb Flubberworm!"

"Yeah, but secretly you want Harry and Ginny, so you allow her to use her love potions on him!" Cho placed her hands on her hips. "Just so you can have some freaky bisexual fantasy!"

"You godda--"

"ENOUGH!" Harry shouted, hurting his rips in the process. His left hand grabbed his upper stomach, and he coughed a couple times. "I'm to tired to put up with all this. If you want to fight then leave, other wise be civil."

Cho and Hermione both quieted down. Cho walked over to Hermione's side of Harry' s bed and pulled up another chair. She placed her bouquet on the night shelf next to him.

"I'm sorry Harry." Cho spoke softly. "I got so worked up I forgot how much pain you're in."

Harry could tell Hermione wanted to punch the girl. She had that same look she had when she slugged Draco Malfoy. Harry wished that Cho would leave, but he did not have it in his heart to be rude to her. He knew she acted this way because she genuinely believed the things she said. They sat in silence for a long time, Cho giving looks for Hermione to leave, and Hermione giving looks saying she was not going to leave until Cho did. After about 20 minutes of no talking Harry was getting slightly annoyed with his company that was not keeping him company. He glanced out the window and saw the sun was going down. He had not known the time had passed so long. He must have been unconscious for most of the day.

"What are you doing in here?"

Harry knew it was Ginny. He turned his head to see she had showered and changed into a comfortable looking an light oranges-pink sweater, with a light violet skirt, her semi-wet red hair in pig tails. She was holding a blanket in one hand, and a basket full of something in the other. Despite the angry expression on her face, he could not help but think she looked extremely cute.

"Visiting Harry, as if it had anything to do with you." Cho spoke softly.

"Thank you very much for stopping by, but I'll take over for now." Ginny spoke in a calm voice, opposite of the anger that was boiling all to apparent inside of her.

Cho looked at Harry, then Hermione, then shook her head. "I'll visit you when you have less company." She stood up, and patted Harry on the arm, then quietly walked past Ginny, without giving her a single look. "Have a Goodnight." She called out from the hallway.

Ginny walked over silently to where Cho had been sitting, and pushed the chair back to where it had been dragged from, then got another chair and brought it back to the same place. She then placed the basket down by her feet and put the folded blanket on top of the basket and sat down in the new chair.

"Sorry I'm late, Harry." Ginny's tone of voice changed into her normal self, although it was still obvious she was furious.

Harry sighed. "I'm just glad she's gone."

Hermione could not take it anymore. "That fucking goddamn shit-faced ass-licking bitch!" Both Harry and Ginny looked at her. Hermione sighed, then blushed. "I had to get that out."

Harry looked at Ginny. "Hermione was a second away from punching her."

Ginny looked down ashamed. "So was I. Maybe I should have."

"You would have just gotten in trouble, both of you. Then I wouldn't be able to see either of you." Harry pointed out.

"I know, but she just… she just drives me insane." Ginny sighed loudly. "I never hated anyone in my life. Not even Tom Riddle. But I hate her…"

Harry was shocked by this statement, even Hermione was. Ginny was not one to hate anyone, everyone knew it. She usually tried to find the good in everyone. But when Ginny had admitted she hated Cho Chang, both Harry and Hermione knew she was serious. Hermione thought she best change the subject, a bit scared of seeing Ginny's dark side.

"What did you bring in the basket?"

Ginny suddenly dropped the Cho subject on the question, to Harry's relief. "Harry's Invisibility Cloak, some snacks, a book."

"Invisibility Cloak?" Hermione looked confused.

"I'm going to spend the night here, but I need it so Madame Hooch doesn't catch me. I'll put it on when she tells us to leave, then when she locks up and leaves for the night, I'll come out and spend some alone time with Harry."

Harry smiled, glad that she cared that much about him, but was concerned that she might get lonely or tired. "You don't have to do that, I know just sitting there can get boring."

"Who says I'll be just sitting here all night?" She gave a playful wink.

Harry's face burned red, and Hermione gave a giggle. "Don't let Ron catch you talking like that?"

"Like I care what he thinks!" Ginny laughed. "I'm his little sister so everything I do to him is wrong. But I'm sure if he were in a hospital bed and some girl my age wanted to snog with him all night, he wouldn't say anything about it."

That reminded Harry of what Parvati had told him about Lavender and her crush on Ron. "That is if he already isn't snogging someone already." A split second after he said this, he remembered Parvati had told him to keep that a secret. But it was already out, and his face obviously showed that he knew something. Both Ginny and Hermione were on like jackals on a prey.

"What do you mean snogging someone?" Hermione blinked.

"He's got a girlfriend?" Ginny giggled.

Harry stuttered. "I… err… I really don't know anything…really."

"Out with it." Ginny demanded. Hermione looked strangely serious.

"It's nothing…nothing…" Harry tried to think of something else to talk about. Anything.

"Just tell us Harry!" Hermione almost shouted.

Harry sighed. "Fine, but you can't tell anyone, because I wasn't supposed to tell."

Ginny nodded, but had a huge grin on her face. Hermione also nodded, but had a quite different expression on her face.

"Parvati told me that Lavender really has it for Ron."

Hermione snapped her fingers. "I knew something was up with her."

"Don't you mean something was up with Ron?" Ginny teased. Harry and Hermione both made the same sickened face, trying not to get a visual that Ginny accidentally gave them. "Okay, it was a bad joke. C'mon, give me a break."


	5. Chapter 5

Harry Potter and the Unicorn's Horn

by

Glee-chan

This is a fan fiction based on the J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe. I do not take claim to own any characters, places, and magical objects that are not original. Most characters are the property of Rowling, and I do not intend to make money off of this fan fiction, merely just writing for fun. I don't have a million dollars to fork over, thus does not want any legal action to be taken. The events in this story take place in a Book 6 alternate timeline

Chapter Five

After Hermione and Madame Pomfrey left, Ginny came out of Harry's invisibility cloak, smiling brightly like she had gotten away with something. She crawled carefully on Harry's bed, which was big enough for two people, and laid down next to him, her grin never leaving her face. Harry could partially move, but it still hurt some what, so Ginny positioned Harry that he could face her comfortably. After giving a small kiss on his forehead she smiled.

"I think this is the only time we've been alone…if you don't count the Hogwarts Express, that is." She reached forward and played with Harry's seemingly always messy hair. "To bad you're hurt." She pouted. "But I'll take care of you."

Harry never did say much that night. He really had no opportunity. If Ginny was not talking, she was kissing him. In the end there was more kissing than talking, which put Harry sometimes in awkward position. Not that he minded Ginny kissing, but some times she tended to rub her hands all over his body when she got into it. Sometimes she'd bump into his right arm or rib on accident, which she always quickly apologized for.

The night seemed to go by quickly and before they knew it, the sun was starting to creep up in the window. Both had gotten no sleep, both of their hair was frayed, and Harry looked as though he was dead from lack of sleep. When they heard walking down the stone hallway, Ginny quickly had to get off the bed and find Harry's Invisibility Cloak so Madame Pompfrey did not catch her in a locked room with her patient.

When Madame Pompfrey did come in she gave Harry a strange look, telling him he looked worse than the day before. She knew immediately that he had gotten no sleep, just by looking at him.

"Do I have to get you a sedative in order to get you to sleep, Mr. Potter?" Harry shook his head, and she gave him a disappointing shake of the head. "Try to sleep some today when you have no visitors."

She walked into her office and Ginny reappeared from Invisibility. She quickly fixed her hair, straightened her clothes, and sat back down in the chair she was sitting in the night before, as if she had just come to visit him. Then Harry saw Ginny's face grow pink when she looked at Harry.

"Your neck…Oh god…" Ginny whispered.

"What?"

Ginny pulled out her wand and pointed it at Harry. "Abscondere!"

"What did you do?"

"I put a glamour spell on you to hide .. um.. hickeys." She looked slightly embarrassed. Harry was surprised that Ginny had reverted back to being shy, after being so bold last night.

Madame Pomfrey walked back into the room and gave a small jump when she saw Ginny sitting in the visitor's chair. "My word Ms. Weasley, you're that concerned for your friend?"

"Excuse me?" Ginny looked slightly confused.

"It's barely even 5:oo. And you look as if you slept in your clothes you wore last night."

"Oh..I…um… See I was worried about Harry. I laid down on the couch in the common room, I couldn't sleep a wink last night. I kept wondering how he was." Ginny looked at Harry as if she was asking of that sounded convincing.

"Young lady, he'll be perfectly alright, he just needs to rest."

"Yes Mam. But when I came in he looked even worse than yesterday, so I'm a bit worried." Harry could tell Ginny was trying to hold back a smile.

"I was just scolding Mr. Potter over that same issue. Perhaps you can make him sleep. You probably could use some yourself."

"I'll give it a try. He can be stubborn." Ginny looked at Harry and winked.

"Thanks dear." And Pomfrey wandered back into her office, muttering about how remarkable young people were, and how she wished she had that amount of energy.

Ginny leaned over Harry, with a playful grin. "Is there anything I can do to relax you enough to fall asleep?"

Harry's week in the hospital was over before he knew it. However while he was there Ron was smart enough to come up with the first "Date-Cho Challenge". Ron arranged it so that Harry could compete in it, as the contract stipulated, but also choose something that Harry would lose at without faking it: Wizards Chest.

Ron had asked Professor McGonagall if the first challenge could be a Wizard Chest tournament to be held in the Great Hall that Wednesday Evening. Harry's matches, of course, would be held in the Hospital. On getting her approval, (which Hermione later described to Harry that most of the Professors seemed to be strangely excited about these school-wide challenges) he issued the challenge to every 6th and 7th year student by means of howler fliers and Ghost advertising. Hermione was even impressed with the strategy skills that Ron showed.

Harry's first match was with Neville Longbottom. Harry knew that both of the were no good at Wizards Chest, so it would be a long and boring game for both of them. In the end Harry had won, but just barely. Neville really did not seem upset, saying he only entered the contest because Ginny had asked him too.

Harry's next opponent was Ernie MacMillan, a Hufflepuff that Harry knew but was not friends with. Surprisingly Ernie was not all that good either, but just a tad bit better than Harry was and beat him - accidentally, which put Harry out of the contest. The next round Ernie was out within a few moves.

In the end, it was Seamus Finnigan of Gryffindor that won the date with Cho. Hermione told Harry later that Cho looked less than thrilled that Seamus won, but she figured she would have looked that way no matter who won. Seamus, however, was pleased with himself. Cho Chang was one of the prettiest girls in the school, so he got many pats on the back that day. Dean Thomas, Seamus' best friend was just as upset that Seamus won as Cho was, because he also was in the contest and lost.

All this really did not matter to Harry because that met he was out of the clear for at least one of the Date Challenges. He really did not know what else he, Ron and Hermione could cook up that would let him lose fairly like he did on this last match. The day of Seamus and Cho's date, the Friday of the same week, Harry was released early from his stay in the Hospital. He was still weak but Madame Pomfrey seemed to think that he would get more rest in his dorm than in a hospital bed. Thankfully, Madame Pomfrey released him after classes were done for the week.

Harry stiffly made his way to the Great Hall to have dinner with everyone. To his surprise, when he entered the doorway, limping, both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables stood up and clapped for his recovery. Hufflepuff followed shortly, standing and clapping with everyone, while Slytherin gave a mild clap, but with no real feeling. While touched by this, Harry was confused. He understood why Gryffindors would be happy to see him out of the hospital, but Ravenclaws? When he took his seat next to Ginny and Ron, he asked Hermione, who was sitting across from them what he was thinking.

"You really have been out of it, haven't you Harry?" Hermione laughed.

"I have been in the Hospital for about 7 days, Hermione." Harry shook his head.

Harry could tell that Lavender and Parvati, who were sitting next to Hermione, eased dropped on the conversation. Dean Thomas, who was sitting next to Ginny, also listened in.

"That jump off your broom for the Snitch not only has the school worked up, but the Sports section of the Daily Prophet did an article on it--" Parvati explained.

Ron interrupted her. "Not only that, but some Quidditch magazines want to pick up the article and have interviews with the players of the game."

"Professional Quidditch players don't even go all out like that anymore." Ginny continued. "Some of the big names are interested…it's a big deal in the Quidditch world."

"I've caught the Snitch while falling before, I don't see that the big deal is." harry looked puzzled.

"You caught them while falling, not by jumping." Ron corrected. "The only Quidditch player to jump off his broomstick to catch a Snitch was Colin Brut in 1876. And he was semi-near the ground. You jumped off your broom over the highest goal hoop. No one has ever done that."

Dean nodded. "You just made Quidditch history."

Harry ignored the lustful looks Lavender was giving Ron, and thought about the match. He wanted to tell them that he had jumped off his broom twice in the game, first as a distraction to get Cho off his back, but he still did not know if using the summoning spell in the middle of the match was entirely legal so he kept it to himself. On thinking of Cho, he glanced at the Ravenclaw table and saw she was vacant. Her and Seamus must be on their date.

"Oliver Wood came by yesterday to talk to you about the match, but Madame Pomfrey wouldn't let him in because you were asleep." Lavender told him. "She says you haven't been sleeping lately, like you stayed up for most of the nights you were there."

Harry looked suddenly interested at his plate, pretending he did not hear that last part. He could tell Ginny was looking slightly guilty as well. "I couldn't sleep in there." Harry finally said, not really lying but not really telling the truth either.

Hermione laughed. "Everyone knows already Harry."

Harry acted completely innocent. "I have no clue what you're talking about."

Lavender and Parvati giggled. Dean suddenly lost interest in the conversation.

"Me either." Ron muttered. "That's a girl for you."

"Oh, put two and two together, Ron." Hermione shook her head. "Harry isn't sleeping at night, Ginny hasn't been seen in her dorm room all week…"

Ron blinked then thought it over. "So what, she visited Harry at night. I would have too if she wasn't an Invisible Cloak hog."

Hermione looked completely amazed that this was the same person who thought up the Wizard Chest Tournament. "Just what to you think a boyfriend and girlfriend would do if they were all alone at night?"

Harry suddenly wished he was in his hospital bed, Ron couldn't assault him there. "Hermione, don't you think Ron doesn't want to think about things like that. Of course he knows what was going on. He's her brother and my best mate. Try and not feed him mental images."

Lavender giggled at Ron again.

Harry saw that Ron looked confused but knew enough to tell that Harry was covering for him not getting what Hermione was driving at. Then suddenly the light bulb came on in Ron's head and he knew was Hermione was getting at. His face scrunched as Harry could tell a mental picture of Harry and Ginny snogging was dancing in his head. "Oi, Hermione, why'd you have to do that? Besides, what they do on their time has nothing to do with me. As long as I don't see or hear about it, it never happened."

Everyone near by was surprised to hear that response from Ron, even Harry. He was glad he was not going to be sent back to the Hospital wing. Ginny just got all the more pinker as the conversation kept going, and decided to change the subject to something that did not involve her making out with Harry.

"I wish that it wasn't raining that day we were playing Quidditch."

"Why d'you wish that?" Ron was equally glad the conversation switched back to Quidditch. Harry tried to ignore Lavender just staring at Ron. It was to the point that is was all Harry could see.

"Because I saw Harry doing nose drives that day, but not so clearly." Ginny looked at Harry. "He and Cho must of had some aerial battle."

Everyone looked at Harry. Harry decided to play his injury. "I really don't remember much of that match…mainly falling and pain."

"Are you in much pain now?" Ginny asked him.

"A little, but it's mostly just aches and limps. I'll probably be over it during the weekend."

"Well at least you don't have to deal with Cho tonight." Parvati pointed out.

Ginny's face soured. "Good riddance."

"Speaking of Cho, Mandy Brocklehurst told me that she visited Harry everyday in the Hospital." Lavender pried her eyes away from Ron to looked at Harry for confirmation.

"It's true, but usually Hermione and Ginny were there to chase her out. There were a couple times they weren't there I and had to sit with her for 30 minutes or so."

"She just can't leave you alone huh?" Ron nudged Harry.

"She's convinced that I'm under a spell." Harry sighed. "I'd get angry at her if I didn't feel so sorry for her. She actually believes the stuff she says."

"You feel sorry for her?" Ginny quickly turned her head and looked at Harry.

"She's annoying, and drives me up the wall, but I think she needs help. Her kind of delusions can't be healthy." Harry quickly stated.

"Well I don't feel sorry for her." Ginny muttered.

"Me either." Hermione agreed.

"Neither do I." Parvati also agreed. "Ever since Harry asked me to come with him when everyone was fighting, Cho has been being a pest to me too."

Ron laughed. "You three should start a 'We-hate-Cho club'."

Ginny looked like she was considering it, but Hermione waved the suggestion away. "She's awful, but not that awful."

"You wouldn't say that if she was after your boyfriend." Ginny muttered softly.

"Sadly I don't have a boyfriend." Hermione glanced at Ron, then quickly looked at Harry. She saw he caught her, and her cheeks pinken slightly.

Christmas Holiday was soon approaching and after the success of the first "Date-Cho Challenge" the Professor's were pushed into an idea. There was a school wide interest in the contests, which had a huge draw. Many students got caught up in the action, and wanted to up the stakes for the second challenge. Some girls suggested (Harry had a supposition it was Lavender and Parvati) that the school hold another ball, similar to the Yule Ball a couple years ago. The winner of the second contest would naturally be Cho's date to the Ball.

The idea spread like wildfire, and before Harry could dispute the matter, a Ball was set, and Cho's challenge would take place two days before the event. Someone had also suggested to Professor Dumbledore that the girls were to ask the boys out for this ball (once again, Harry thought it had to be Lavender and Parvati) which he agreed too. Like the Yule Ball, this dance would be open for 4th years and up.

Unlike the previous Yule Ball, Harry did not have to worry about being a Triwizard Champion, or asking a girl out. On hearing the news about girls asking boys, Ginny quickly asked Harry before anyone else could. Harry did not know what was going through her brain, she really did not have to ask. It was a given that he would go with her, although he'd rather not go to a Ball at all. But he knew girls liked that sort of thing, and after she spent all that time in the hospital with him, he knew he could not get out of the dance.

But the Ball did not concern him, his concentration was more on what would be the perfect challenge for him to lose fairly too. Hermione and Ron seemed stumped on the question as well. Ron had explained that Wizards Chest was the best idea he had come up with, and he knew he could not top it. They sat in the common room trying to figure out what Harry was bad it, which amused him, but also slightly embarrassed him at the same time.

"Any other time before the term, I'd say potions, but Harry's been an ace ever since he's gotten that book with the notes in it." Ron frowned.

"What about cooking? Can you cook Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Aunt Petunia makes me cook often." Harry admitted. "I'd say I'm an average cook, and probably would be hard to beat in a cooking contest…especially if most of the challengers are boys."

"That's right, I forgot." Ron snapped his fingers. "Not many girls are interested in dating another girl, are they?"

"I wouldn't think so Ron." Hermione rolled her eyes. "We did have a couple girls the last competition. But like Harry said, he'd beat out all the boys and have only a few girls to compete with. He could win at cooking."

"What about a singing contest?" Ron thought.

"What?" Harry looked embarrassed. "No way, I don't want to sing."

"But if you don't want to sing, then you're bound to be awful." Ron smiled.

"And be embarrassed in front of the whole school." Harry pointed out.

Hermione wrote something down on a parchment. "We'll save that idea if we can't think of anything else, okay Harry?"

Harry gave a sigh of relief, but that left them back at square one. "You know when ever you try to find something you're good at you can't think of anything. Which should mean you're bad in a load of things. But when you try to think of things you're bad at you're equally in a rut. Am I just average all around?"

"I wouldn't say that. The stuff you're good at, no one else can touch you." Ron raised his eyebrows.

"How about a race?" Hermione suggested.

"Harry has a Firebolt, the only one in the school in fact.."

"A Wizards Duel?"

"Harry's an ace in Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Remember the DA meetings last year?"

Hermione groaned. Then an idea hit her. "A costume contest."

"Huh?" Harry and Ron both asked.

"Everyone who enters makes their own costume, and to be fair the Professors choose the winner."

"Hermione…" Ron shook his head. "That would be great if this contest was for both boy and girls but it's mainly boys who will enter. Do you really think any one of them can sew?"

"That's the point." Hermione had an almost evil smile on her face. "She's all the time calling me a bisexual, well what if a girl wins this contest?"

Ron shook his head. "Might as well, it's less embarrassing than singing."

Hermione looked at Ron. "Were you thinking of joining?"

"No."

"Oh."

Harry tried to ignore the awkward conversation that just happened between Ron and Hermione. Then he thought of something. "To be fair we should have an anti-spell clause on anyone who joins the contest. They have to actually make their costumes, not conjure them. I guess they can use magic to help the sew and what not, but not actually conjure the whole costume from nothing."

"Good idea. That way there won't be hundreds of horrible outfits, because of lack of sewing knowledge." Ron scratched his head.

"But…But the chance of a girl winning lessens when you do that." Hermione frowned.

Harry and Ron looked at each other. Ron sighed. "This has to be fair for everyone, Hermione, the contract says so. We'll have Anti-conjuring spells, but magic is allowed to aid in the actual sewing process."

"Fine! I want to bend the rules once and you act like it's the end of the world." Hermione grumbled.

On announcement of the next "Date-Cho Challenge" surprisingly the majority of the school was excited about it. Harry and Ron were surprised that as many as the same number of boy signed up for a relatively girlie contest. Ron reasoned that the prize was worth the humiliation. What also surprised both of them was that more girls joined the contest than the first time, not really to win a date with Cho, but just to win a contest with costumes.

Harry and Ron thought that if Harry were to be looked over in the judging process his costume would have to be something relatively common. Harry suggested he dress up like Robin Hood, but Ron had no clue what he was talking about. Sometimes he forgot that Ron did not know about Muggle stories and myths. Ron teased Harry about making a costume as Professor Snape, but Harry did not want to get detention for 'mocking' a professor.

Hermione and Ginny were also full of girlie suggestions that Harry turned down. Hermione thought it would be cute if Harry dressed up like a cat. Harry quickly turned that down. Ginny wanted Harry to dress up as a Prince, with armor and the works. Harry got out of this suggestion by saying that his costume might win if it looked good enough.

In the end Harry decided on being a Dementor. It seemed to him to be a cliché Halloween-like costume that would be easy to make, being that it was just a black cloak with a hood, and that the simplicity of it would get him over looked. When he asked Ron and Hermione about his suggestion, they both agreed that Dementors were favorite things to be for Trick-or-Treat wizard children.

The making of the costume was simple. Harry ordered black cloth from Hogsmeade and designed a pattern for a sewing spell to follow. The cloak with hood would complete in under 30 minutes. All Harry had to do was wear black underneath it and he was set.

On the day of the actual contest, Harry, in costume went down to the great hall with all the other contestants. As predicted most where so elaborate (mainly the girls costumes) that Harry's plain costume was over looked. By the fifth round he was out, and free from another date. He literally saw Cho throw a glass on the ground when he got eliminated. Hermione crossed her fingers for a girl to win, but did not get her wish. Some boy in a Professor Dumbledore costume won. He actually magically grew a beard for his costume, which delighted the real Dumbledore. Harry was so relieved that Ron had talked him out of that idea the day before he thought of the Dementor outfit.

With that out of the way, all Harry had to worry about was the ball. The last ball he did not do so well on the account that he could not dance. Parvati lead him the whole time, then ditched him when he got tired of being on the dance floor. But he knew that Ginny was extremely excited about the dance, and that he had to pretend to be equally as excited.

After Potions class, the last class they had, the school was on Holiday. That night the ball would take place and the next two days, students would be going home or staying for Christmas. As was the tradition, the Gryffindors all walked together back to their dormitories, the girls being extra giggly than their normal giggling selves.

Ron looked at Harry. "You know I've had two 4th years and one 5th year girls ask me to this ball thing?"

"I've had a couple ask me out too." Harry rubbed his right eye, tired from Slughorns rambling from the class they had just taken. "How come you said no?"

"Do you remember the last Ball?" Ron looked miserable "I don't want to go, all that will happen is some girl will want to talk and dance with me all night."

"You got to come. Other wise Ginny will want me to dance the whole time." Harry sighed.

Hermione laughed. "Poor Harry."

"Have you asked anyone out yet?" Ron asked Hermione.

Hermione's face went pink. "No. But I wouldn't mind going."

"Harry's been trying to talk me into going."

"Oh. I hope you will. It'll be nice to see everyone all dressed up again." Hermione just looked pinker as she talked.

"Yeah, I guess I will then. Harry won't leave me alone about it."

"You know Ron--"

Harry was about to suggest that Ron and Hermione go together, mainly to stop the awkwardness that had been developing between them lately, and also for them to buffer the dance time he would have to do, but Lavender and Parvati flouted up next to them.

"Ugh Slughorn's the worse." Parvati grumbled, glancing at Harry.

"Yeah, we didn't even get to check up on the Polyjuice potion we've been making at all today." Harry, of course, knew that his potion was heading on the right track, thanks to the Half-Blood Prince and their experiences with the potion his second year.

"I didn't mind. Did you Ron?" Lavender asked.

"Not really. I hate Potions." Ron glanced at Lavender not giving her a second thought.

"Me too." Lavender giggled.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry saw she was looking a bit annoyed at Lavender.

"Oh, by the way, you're not going with anyone, are you Ron?" Lavender suddenly asked.

"What's it to you?"

"Oh, no. I'm not teasing or anything. I just wanted to know if you'd like to go with me?"

Ron shrugged. "If you want too."

"That's great. I'm looking forward to it. I'm sure we'll have a good time." Lavender said in between giggles. "Um, anyway I have to run, I'll see you later Ron…Harry…Hermione. C'mon Parvati." Lavender grabbed Parvati's hand and they ran off down the hall.

"Weird girl." Ron sighed. Hermione looked slightly angry, but Ron seemed oblivious to it. "I guess you got me to go to this stupid thing after all Hermione."

"Guess so." Hermione muttered.

"Who are you going to ask?" Ron asked. Harry suddenly wished he was anywhere but there.

"I'm thinking of not going, actually." Hermione said in a low voice.

"Aw C'mon, you and Harry wanted me to go, you can't back down now."

"I just don't feel like it anymore, okay, Ron." Hermione snapped.

"Geez, don't take it out on me." Ron looked at Hermione like she lost her mind. "Look, if you go I'll do anything you want."

Hermione stopped walked and looked slightly hurt. "Just…Ron, stop it, okay. I don't want to go now."

"Hermione… I don't get it. What's wrong?" Ron finally was sensing something was amiss about her.

"Nothing. I don't want to talk about it."

Harry stopped with the both of them, looking out the stone window, wondering if jumping out of it would be less painful than the conversation he was trying to stay apart from. Then Harry thought that maybe he could try and resolve the matter by acting dumb and suggesting his original idea to them.

"Hey Ron, why don't you and Hermione just go together." Harry spoke in a nonchalant voice. "You'll have a better time with her than Lavender. She'll want you to dance and everything."

Ron looked at Harry, then back at Hermione. "Hey, yeah, that's a good idea. You want to do that?"

Hermione looked like she brightened up a bit. "But you already told Lavender you'd go with her…"

Ron looked up as if his mind was processing it out. Harry wondered if he got close enough to Ron's ear if he'd hear a wooden windmill turning slowly. "I can tell her you asked me first and I forgot about it until she ran off."

Hermione looked hopeful, but Harry saw she was not going to say yes just yet. Why did girls have to be over complicated. "Well, if you really want too, I guess I can go."

Harry prayed Ron did not say something stupid after that. All he would have to do is agree that he wanted he to go. Ron shrugged. "I'd feel much more comfortable with you than with Lavender." Harry gave a sigh of relief.

"Okay. You talked me into it." Hermione smiled. Harry had a feeling Ron really didn't have to do much talking for her to agree, she just wanted to hear more from him about how he wanted her to go rather than Lavender.

After that talk, they continued to their dormitory. When they got to the common room, Harry spotted Ginny and quickly made his escape from Hermione and Ron, and Ron explaining to Lavender why he could not go with her. Harry watched from across the room as Lavender looked tearfully upset but held it in, being polite. She and Parvati went into the girls dormitory after Ron had explained the "mix up" and part of Harry felt sorry for her.

On seeing that Harry was watching the room, Ginny got curious and asked what was going on He told her about the conversation in the hall, Lavender, and about Ron and Hermione going together, which he received a huge giggle.

"I was hoping they'd go with each other."

Harry felt slightly stressed. "I think Hermione wants it more than Ron. I don't even think Ron has the slightest idea that Hermione might like him."

"That's my brother for you." Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh, I had an idea bout our outfits for the ball."


	6. Chapter 6

Harry Potter and the Unicorn's Horn

by

Glee-chan

This is a fan fiction based on the J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe. I do not take claim to own any characters, places, and magical objects that are not original. Most characters are the property of Rowling, and I do not intend to make money off of this fan fiction, merely just writing for fun. I don't have a million dollars to fork over, thus does not want any legal action to be taken. The events in this story take place in a Book 6 alternate timeline

Chapter Six

Later that night Harry and Ron prepared in their rooms for a dance that both of them really did not want to go too. In looking around the room, Neville, Dean, and Seamus all were quietly dressing. It was like funeral. Dances were definitely made for girls, Harry reasoned. Boys only went to dances to make girls happy. Dean was going out with Parvati and from what Harry heard Parvati asked Dean to tell Seamus to ask Lavender out. Neville was going with Hannah Abbott, which Harry decided not to rack his brain and try to figure out.

Harry was wearing a black tuxedo-like suit, except he had a black shirt with a mandarin collar and no bow tie. Over which he had his black dress rode, with a crimson inside. Ron was similar, but his was more of a three piece suit that was a swaide brown color, with a white shirt and black robe, without the crimson inside.

Harry gave Ron a final look over, then notion for the door that lead to the common room. "Dead man walking."

Ron smirked and all the boys took the long walk down the stair into the common room. As expected, it was filled with people, a mass of multicolored fashion wear, a living Color wheel. Harry kept to the steps so he could see over the mass to find Ginny among them. Ron stayed close by, hoping to catch of sight of Hermione as well.

Then Harry saw her, and for a few moments he forgot that he hated dances. He did not expect to be struck by how beautiful Ginny would be. If she were any other girl, Harry would lean over to Ron and comment on how pretty she was, but Harry didn't feel like having a black-eye as an accessory to his dress suit.

Ginny had a light pink dress that went just above her knee. She also wore white gloves that went up to her elbow, and stalking that had a pink bow near her knee. Her hair curled slightly and semi-up, being held up with white and pink ribbons. Apparently Harry expression must had suggested that he awe struck by her appearance, because on seeing him, Ginny gave a giggle.

"You look…" Harry barely got out when she walked over to him. He could not find the right words to say, if words could even compare to how he felt about her at that moment.

"Safe to say he thinks you look good." Ron laughed on looking at Harry's face. "You got a little drool just at the corner of your mouth, mate."

Ginny laughed, and lightly slapped her brother on the arm. "He does not."

Harry shook himself out of his trance, which was harder than what it appeared. "I…err.. sorry."

Ginny blushed. "Well I was going for the speechless look, so you're in the clear."

"Have you seen Hermione around?" Ron asked boredly.

"She's in here somewhere." Ginny looked at Ron. "I think she's near the fireplace."

They did not have to look for her. She found them, and it was Ron's turn for ogling. Hermione wore her hair in a French twist, along with a tiny tiara. She was wearing a spaghetti string, slightly low-cut (elegant not trashy), form fitting, light sky-blue dress that just made Ron's eyes nearly pop out.

"Hey Harry, hi Ron." Hermione waved.

Harry waved, also impressed with Hermione's outfit, but not nearly as impressed as Ron was. Ron went white and couldn't say anything at all after she said hello. Harry gave him a small kick in the shin, trying to bring Ron back into reality. Ron blinked and opened his mouth, but nothing came out but a small squeak.

Ginny cleared her throat. "Allow me to translate: Hark! My fair lady, you look so lovely this evening. That stars themselves can not compare thy elegant beauty, charm, and grace."

Harry snickered as Ron nodded, but still couldn't say anything. Hermione blushed slightly. "Ron it's still just me."

Ron nodded again, but that was the most his communication seem to allow him. Somehow he managed out a couple words when they walked down the stairs. "Dance we go now."

Harry couldn't help himself and laughed. He wasn't the only one, Ginny was as well, and even Hermione gave a small laugh. Ron shook his head and laughed at himself a bit.

"I.. well… you know…" Ron muttered. "You look ..good."

"Thank you." Hermione smiled.

The four made their way to the Great Hall, where the Ball was taking place. On entering, Harry's feelings towards dancing returned to him. While he was happy to be with Ginny, he was not so thrilled that she would be expecting him to dance. Even worse, Harry worried about Ron, knowing that as uncoordinated he was, Ron was worse.

Nearly half the school was attending. Most of the professors where there also. The few exceptions were Professor Dumbledore, Snape, and Binns. Harry was even surprised to see Malfoy in attendance, with Pansy Parkinson as his date. While most of the music seemed to be waltz music, or wizard music, some Muggle sounding upbeat songs played every now and then.

On a particularly faster song, Hermione grabbed Ron's arm. "I know this! Come on Ron, we got to dance to this."

Ron turned a white color when he remembered he was there and was supposed to dance. "Oh no…I can't dance to this…I don't even know any Muggle dances."

Harry thought that Ron actually came up with a good excuse on that one, but Hermione still was grabbing at his arm. "Come on! You just move how you feel like, there is no real steps."

"B-But…"

"Let's see it then, Weasley." Malfoy suddenly was standing in the area. "Dance a fool to that Muggle noise." Malfoy teased. Pansy laughed gazing at Malfoy, who ignored her and continued. "I heard your father was wild about Muggle objects, and now it looks like he passed on his Mudblood obsession to his son."

Ron's face turned red. "Don't talk about Hermione that way!"

"Ignore him Ron." Hermione turned her head. "He's lower than Hippogriff poo."

Malfoy seemed to ignore Hermione and kept his attack on Ron. "Even if you are a Mudblood lover, you couldn't dance to a simple Wizard Waltz, there's no way you can dance to this."

"You don't know what you're talking about Malfoy." Ron growled.

"Really, then prove me wrong." Malfoy smirked

Ron tightened his fist. "Just watch, Draco." Ron stalked to the center of the dance floor, clearly to angry to remember he couldn't dance.

Ginny buried her face in Harry's shoulder. "I can't watch this…"

Harry pulled his wand out when he thought Draco was not looking and pointed it towards Ron. The tried to think of any dancer in the Muggle world, but nothing was coming to mind. Then he heard the song change into the Michael Jackson song, Smooth Criminal. Harry smirked to himself, knowing what he had to do. He flicked his wrist and whispered "Tarantallegra Saltare Michael Jackson."

Instantly Ron exploded into a multiple 360 spin, stopping, then balancing on the toes of his shoes to the rhythm of the music. The students surrounding Ron burst into applause but as the song continued Ron's movements went with it, emulating the King of Pop's dancing technique almost perfectly - complete with kicks, grabs to the crotch, sidestepping moonwalks, spinning moonwalks, and the infamous backwards moonwalk. Ron's big finally was a far leaning horizontal lean forward with out falling over, then another spin just to rub it in.

When the song ended Harry lifted the spell and a red face Ron walked back to Malfoy and flicked him off. Malfoy sneered and stormed into the crowd, all the while the students around him clapped, completely amazed. Ron looked rather amazed himself, looking as if he didn't know he had it in him. Ginny's mouth didn't close well into the next song. Hermione glanced at Harry, knowing full well that he had to of been behind that display.

"I think I need to sit down." Ron breathed heavy.

Ginny blinked. "I should think so."

The four found a table near the dance floor open and quickly took it. Harry caught a glance of Lavender looking at Ron as she walked by, looking completely jealous of Hermione. But he soon forgot that when Ginny sat on his lap.

"When is a waltz going to happen?" Hermione pouted.

"Do you really think I can top what I just did?" Ron looked red in the face.

"Maybe…with a little more of Harry's help." Hermione smirked.

"Harry? What?"

"Ron, have you ever seen Home Alone?" Hermione asked.

Harry knew that Hermione was referring to Michael Jackson's child fetish, and looked out into the dance floor, suddenly feeling the need to get away. For the first time in his life the dance floor looked more inviting than the conversation he could potentially be involved in. "Ginny, wanna dance?"

"Sure."

After Ginny got out of his lap, the two made their way back to the dance floor. A slower song played, which Harry was thankful, because he was not sure he could dance anything too fast. At least slow songs Ginny could lead him. She didn't seem to mind doing the leading, she giggled, finding it cute that he was not dance savvy. After the song, Harry glanced over at the table, seeing Ron glaring a hole at Harry, looking clearly embarrassed.

"Great." Harry muttered.

"What's wrong?" Ginny looked at Ron, then back at Harry.

"Hermione told him I charmed Ron to dance, and who I made him dance like."

"That isn't so bad…"

"Err…. If you knew maybe you might be embarrassed if you were him too."

They stayed on the dance floor, dancing (Harry not so well) to the next two songs. After the last song ended, Professor Flitwick announced that the stage was open for students to sing karaoke or play instruments for the other students. Harry and Ginny wandered back to the table. When Harry sat back down, Ginny sat on his lap once again.

"Michael Jackson, huh." Ron muttered

"Sorry Ron." Harry smiled slightly. " I couldn't think of anything else. But just think, you shut Malfoy up."

Before Ron could say anymore Cho walked over to the table, apparently ditching her date. Hermione looked at her watch and noticed that her date time allotted was over, so technically she was allowed to ditch. She glanced for a moment at Ron.

"Nice dancing."

"Thanks." Ron sounded the opposite of what he said.

Cho looked at Ginny and wrinkled her nose, but spoke to Harry as if she were not there. "I was wondering if you wanted to dance."

"He's not dancing with you, he came here with me." Ginny spoke plainly.

"Harry's allowed to dance with whomever he wants too!" Cho placed her hands on her hips.

Ron looked at Hermione with a devious smile on his face, then at Cho. "Well even if Harry wanted to, he already said he was going to sing karaoke."

"What?" Harry and Cho asked at the same time.

"I thought Harry didn't sing." Cho lowered her eyebrows at Ron.

"I did too. But apparently he's been lying to us all. He's just modest because of his singing skills. Plays a hell of a guitar, a muggle instrument if I'm not mistaken." Ron went on.

"Ron, you know perfectly well I can't play anything."

"See, what did I tell you, he's embarrassed." Ron smiled. "But we talked him into giving us a performance, haven't we Hermione?"

Ginny looked over her shoulder down at Harry. "What are they talking about?"

"I'm starting to get it. It's pay back." Harry whispered.

"Well are you singing or not?" Cho looked at Harry through Ginny.

"I guess I am…" Harry grumbled.

Ginny sluggishly got off his lap and Harry took a long slow walk towards the stage, wishing he could jump out the window. It was not that far of a drop, just enough to kill him. What's worse singing and playing an instrument he never touched before or dying? Harry got on stage, conjured and slung an charmed electric guitar over his shoulder, and walked timidly to a levitated wand that was enchanted to perform like a microphone.

He glanced at Ron and Hermione, and saw them both aiming a wand at him. He had a feeling this was going to be humiliating. Suddenly his fingers started moving on their own against the strings of the guitar, and the tune that came out he slightly recognized, but he was not sure until lyrics started coming out of his mouth. He voice got gruff, but kept in harmony, which surprised Harry. The lyrics he was singing, he barely knew, but had only heard on an oldies radio station. Then it dawned on him. He was singing Alice Coopers "Feed my Frankenstein".

It was not until half way through the first verse did Harry realize what the lyrics were talking about. For the most part the song was about oral sex with a girl. He tried to stop himself, but it just wouldn't happen. When he got to the middle of the song, he suddenly went into this insane guitar solo, jumping around the stage like a crazy person as he did so. Inside he felt so embarrassed, but the outside he looked like he was enjoying looking like a psycho. When the song ended, he throw the guitar into amp, then made an obscene gesture with his tongue towards the crowd.

Thankfully most of the wizard born had no clue what he was sing about, let alone what pornographic gesture he just made meant. And that included the Professors. The Muggle born however were shocked beyond shocked that he would singing something so sexually crazy, let alone play a guitar like that in front of professors. All seemed to appreciate the performance and he got claps and cheers all around.

When Harry returned embarrassed to his seat, Ron looked like he had been laughing the whole time he was gone, and Hermione's face was beat red with embarrassment. Harry looked angrily at both of them.

"Harry that was very interesting music." Ginny looked like she was saying so to be polite. Harry was glad that Ginny did not understand the lyrics he was singing. Cho looked equally 'impressed' and nodded an agreeing nod with Ginny.

"Just why the hell did you make me sing that song of all songs?" Harry looked at Hermione.

Cho looked confused, not sure what he was talking about, but knew he was angry, so said nothing. Hermione still red in the face shook her head. "No, no. I didn't make you sing that song."

"I'm sure as bloody hell I did not pick it out on my own." Harry looked upset. He knew Ron could not have picked that song out for him, because Ron never heard Muggle Music.

"I..I just said something from Alice Cooper…" Hermione said softly. "You picked out what song."

Harry realized that the only Alice Cooper song he had heard was Feed my Frankenstein, and that's why he played it. He of course knew that Alice Cooper sang other famous songs, but the one he played was the only song Dudley would listen all the way through.

Cho blinked. "What's going on?"

Ginny quickly thought to save the situation. "Harry's embarrassed about playing up there."

"Oh. No you shouldn't be. It was unique and all, but still good." Cho said quickly.

"Thanks" Harry muttered bitterly. He looked at Ron. "Are we even?"

"Yeah. I'd say so."

"So Harry, about that dance…" Cho pressed.

Harry sat down in a chair next to Ginny. "I'm a bit tired, Cho."

"I understand." Cho glanced at Ginny. "I'll see you around. Maybe we can dance later when you're not with your 'friends'." After she said that, she walked off.

"Just what was that song about?" Ron asked when she left.

Harry understood that Ron was curious about why Harry was that angry at him, but he really didn't want to tell what the song meant with Ginny sitting right there. "Let's just say it was very suggestive in a sexual way."

Hermione coughed in her drink. Ginny leaned over towards Harry. "Now I'm curious."

Ron closed his ears. "I don't want to even think about my sister being interested in sex."

"I'm 15, Ron. I can handle it." Ginny called across the table. Hermione choked on her drink again.

Harry felt a feeling of being uncomfortable replace the anger he was feeling. "Let's just drop it, okay."

Hermione quickly agreed. "It's not that important anyway. Just a song."

"They know something." Ron looked at his sister. "Being from the Muggle-world and all."

"And they won't tell us." Ginny finished her brothers thought. "Maybe we should ask some other Muggles in here what the song meant."

Harry sighed. He had a feeling the whole school would be talking about it all the way home for their Christmas Holiday, about how he was a big pervert, and when the professor would hear about it, he'd get punished. Harry placed his face in the palm of his hands while a group of girls walked past him, giggling slightly, each with pink faces.

Ginny watched the girls walk by and looked at Hermione. "You have to tell me now. I have to know what I'm going to face tomorrow."

"It's…um..well…"

"Just tell her Hermione." Harry felt his face grow warm in his palms.

Hermione for about 10 minutes explained what the song was saying, that Harry sang a 5 minute song about giving a girl oral sex, in a very graphic way - but by using words that were not related at all to the sexual situation, he was not bluntly saying anything wrong. She also explained that even some Muggles probably did not know what the song was about, because of the symbolism, but Harry thought Hermione added that last part for his benefit.

All Ginny could say was "Oh."

Ron looked confused. "Muggles sing songs about the that?"

"Muggles sing songs about anything and everything." Harry pointed out.

"That's just…just… weird."

Harry was thankful Christmas Holiday was upon them, and was glad that he would get to spend the Holidays at the Burrow, away from Cho, and away from the Rock bad-boy image he had become. Harry had thought the song he sang the previous day would be a negative thing, but on the most part most people saw it as a positive. More girls seemed more interested in him, which made Ginny loose her temper several times through out the day, and boys seemed to respect that he had the guts to get on stage in front of professors and sing something that raunchy and get away with it.

But on arriving at the Weasley's house, all those troubles went away. Hermione had asked her parents if she could stay with the Weasley's, which they had agreed, so she came along as well. On entering the home, Harry got an unexpected welcome. He normally got warm hugs from Ms. Weasley and friendly handshakes from Mr. Weasley, but on entering this time they seemed more happy to see him than usual.

Harry soon found out why. Every time Ginny stood remotely near him, Ms. Weasley gave a huge smile and looked overjoyed. He had guessed someone wrote the home and told them that they were going out. Ginny seemed a little embarrassed whenever her mom dolted on her in front of Harry, which Ms. Weasley could not help doing.

"Oh when I heard about the two of you I just got overjoyed." Ms. Weasley had cornered Harry one time. "I never in my wildest imagination had thought you two where interested in each other. But I'm so glad that she's with you, there is no one I'd like to see her with more."

"Err…thanks Ms. Weasley."

Mr. Weasley gave Harry similar conversations. "It's a dangerous world out there, Harry, and I can see no better person for my daughter to be with. Having a boyfriend like you, Ginny is in good hands. I trust you to take good care of her, you hear."

"Err…Yes sir."

When the novelty of Harry and Ginny going out wore out, the Christmas Holiday was pleasant. The Weasley's were like the family Harry wish he had. He sometimes wondered if his parents and Sirius Black were alive, would the situation be similar. If his parents would have big dinners inviting Sirius, Tonks, and Remus Lupin over. He imagined the environment would be just as warm as the Weasley's, but more special because they were his family. While the Weasley's were like a second family to him, he was still an outsider. Although Harry felt that going out with Ginny made him feel a bit closer to them.

While the family was excited that Harry and Ginny were an item, it made it extremely hard for them to steal a kiss or be alone. They always seemed to be watched, and Harry just felt awkward kissing her in front of her parents. Ginny seemed not to feel nervous at all, and was constantly holding his hand or leaning on him, as she normally would.

When night fell, Harry and Ron shared a room, as usual, and Hermione shared Ginny's room. Harry had noticed that Ron had been acting different around Hermione ever since the Ball. He seemed to notice she was around more, and seemed more polite. He often commented to Harry about how pretty Hermione looked at the ball - not that he cared, or anything. It was an odd feeling, knowing that Ginny was just a wall away from him. From the way Ron was acting, he knew he was thinking the same way about Hermione.

The next morning, after breakfast the four of them went out to play a little Quidditch. Ron had decided he was going to teach Hermione how to play, which amused Harry. While Ron was doing this Ginny and Harry sneaked away, to have some alone time. However their time was limited, and they were forced to hold in the urges they were feeling as Ms. Weasley called them in for lunch.

That night Ron suggested to Harry that after his parents went to bed he and Hermione could trade rooms. Harry found this amusing, as he was trying to figure out how on Earth Ron excepted Hermione to go along with this. However around 10:30 Hermione came into Ron's room quietly, and told Harry the coast was clear. This made Harry wonder if they had planned this before hand.

Not one to miss an opportunity, Harry crept out of Ron's room and to Ginny's bedroom door, knocking lightly. Ginny answered her door shortly after he knocked, wearing a robe over herself, her bare legs stick out the bottom. She invited Harry in, also looking a bit confused with Hermione's and Ron's behavior.

"You don't think they are…you know?"

"After one date? I can't see them snogging after five dates." Ginny whispered quietly.

"What's odd is that this was their idea." Harry whispered. "Not that I don't want to be here, but you know…"

"Yeah." Ginny nodded.

Harry looked around for Hermione's sleeping bag, figuring that where he'd sleep, but saw none. He felt confused, then he realized that Hermione most likely slept in the same bad as Ginny. Suddenly Harry felt extremely nervous and embarrassed. Ginny looked at Harry, wondering why he was looking so strange then realized the situation herself. For whatever reason her sleeping with him in the hospital was okay, but in Ginny's home it seemed wrong. She looked slightly uncomfortable as well.

"I wish she told me she was leaving earlier than she did." Ginny whispered, holding her robe shut.

"Why's that?"

"I'm not really wearing pajamas…just a t-shirt." Ginny's face was pink.

Harry turned his back to her. "Err… if you want to change into something else, I won't look."

He felt Ginny's hand on his shoulder, turning him around. She was still in her robe. "Don't you think we're acting a bit…you know… weird? If we were at school we wouldn't care about the bed…and….and I … I probably wouldn't care if you seen me in my…underwear."

Harry's felt his face grew slightly warmer. "Y-You wouldn't?"

"Well," Ginny smiled slightly. "I…well, um…I don't think I would. If we were alone and at school I think I'd be more…comfortable to … be closer to you."

Harry swallowed hard. He was sure his breathing quicken slightly, because his blood was running a marathon in his body.

"You don't think I'm a slut do you?" Ginny suddenly asked.

"WHAT? No, no, why would you think that?"

"Well… I … well, I never talked about being with a boy before, I never even thought about it that much…well maybe I did when I had a crush on you, I guess. But now, with you, I feel all…well… I don't know…needy? But at the same time I want to take things slow. I don't know I feel so confused."

"I know exactly how you feel." Harry admitted. "Couple that with being here with your parents - them being able to walk in at any time."

"Yeah." Ginny looked down. "I don't want you to get in trouble…but at the same time I want to…act on passion."

"Maybe just one kiss, then I'll sleep on the ground…" Harry tried to reason.

"If you kiss me, I won't want you to stop." Ginny whispered.

"You wouldn't?"

"No. I always fantasized you being in my room. The things I wanted to show you, the things I wanted to do with you. If you kissed me, I don't know if I'd be able to stop myself." Ginny hugged herself across her stomach, looked extremely exposed.

Harry felt like he needed to sit down. Never before had he ever thought a girl would say she wanted to be with him, intimately. Even when he and Ginny started having a steady relationship, he never thought that she'd be the one to admit to wanting to go a step farther. She seemed as if she had thought about these things for a long time, and Harry had avoiding thinking to hard on them, because he did not want to seem like a pervert or get his hopes up on something like that. Then it occurred to him at that moment that girls felt the same ways boys did, and that Ginny probably felt extremely perverted for admitting her feelings like that to him. That's why she asked him if she sounded like a slut.

"I…err…I never allowed myself to think of …uh… doing anything. I didn't want to seem like a pervert, or anything." Harry thought if he admitted what he was thinking about it would make him, and Ginny feel better. "And…and doing that…we'd be taking a big step, you know. Part of me wants to, but another part doesn't know if I'm ready."

"Me too." Ginny said in a small voice. "I…well… can I tell you something, and you not freak out?" Harry suddenly felt this could be bad. "I… I think I …you know… love you."

The blood that was running a marathon in his body suddenly quickened it's pace. He felt almost paralyzed, happy, scared, relieved, freaked all at the same time. Ginny looked into his eyes, willing for him to say something to her back, the longer he was silent, the more sadder the expression on her face turned.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that…it was too soon, wasn't it. I don't mean to push, I'm sorry." Ginny muttered out quickly.

"No. Don't be sorry." Harry somehow got his breath back. "I didn't mean to freeze up on you. It's just, well, you're the only person, aside from my parents, who does. And you're the only one among them that's alive."

"Oh…oh." Ginny blushed. "I never thought of it like that."

"It really means a lot that you said that, I just was overwhelmed." Harry looked down. "You meant it right?"

"I…I feel like I love you…I think I do. I never been in love before, so it's hard to say. Somewhere inside of me tells me that I do." Ginny whispered. "Do you…I mean, you don't have to answer… but do you love--"

"Yes."

"Are you just saying that because I threw myself out there?" Ginny hugged herself tighter.

"No. I realized something a while back. You're the only one that understands me. It started with Lord Voldemort. We shared that experience, you shared that part of my life. You're the only one I know that knows that part of me. But after that, you were always supportive, and never back off when I needed help. And you knew what Voldemort was capable of first hand. Then I guess I started thinking about you more and more. I just thought at first we were good friends, then that kiss. When you kissed me, it clicked. I liked you more than a friend for a long time. And for whatever reason I never realized it. As we started seeing more and more of each other I think in my mind I realized I love you." Harry sighed. "I guess guys have problems talking about things…but for me having so much troubles with talking about this kind of stuff, I'm sure rambling on and on about it."

"I don't mind." Ginny smiled. " You're nervous. You don't want me to think your stupid."

"Yeah."

"I felt the same way when I told you earlier." Ginny sighed the stood at her full posture. "Okay, this shouldn't be hard to say now. I love you." Ginny walked over to him and gave him a kiss and a hug. "It feels like I just finished a really hard test, you know. The pressure is off."

"I know what you mean." Harry hugged her back, noticing that she really was wearing close to nothing underneath her robe. "Uh, well some pressure is still there. You're practically naked..."

"If you touched me, I wouldn't mind."

Harry swallowed hard again. "It's probably a bad idea… you know… if your mum comes in."

"Oh yeah." Ginny truly looked like she forgot about that. "Damn."

The next morning Harry (stiff from sleeping on the ground) and Ginny were waken up by Ron and Hermione. At breakfast they discovered the reason for Hermione switching rooms with Harry. Both Ginny and Harry were surprised to find out that it was honestly over something innocent. Ron had wanted to asked Hermione about Christmas gifts, then afterwards he wanted show Hermione his Quidditch books. Both Harry and Ginny could have killed them for giving them such an awkward night. After admitting that they loved each other and that they had both fantasized about being with each other, they had a long night of just staring at each other trying not to act on their impulses. When Ron and Hermione had awakened them, they had only gotten a few hours of sleep, falling asleep on opposite sides of the room.

"I can't believe this is Christmas Eve." Ron muttered. "and I still haven't figured out what to get Hermione."

"I thought you were going to get her that book she wanted about wicca histories." Harry snacked on a biscuit.

"I did get that for her, but after the ball I feel like I should get her something…uh, I don't know, more personal." Ron thought out loud.

"You're asking the wrong person about that sort of thing." Harry said.

"What did you get Ginny?" Ron suddenly asked.

"I got her a silver heart shaped locket." Harry looked strangely at Ron. "You were there, in Hogsmeade remember. When you open it up it's enchanted to play a melody, depending on the wearers mood."

"Oh yeah." Ron repeated. "You think I should get something like that for Hermione?"

"No, you only went on one date with her." Harry laughed slightly.

"But…"

"The book will be fine." Harry shrugged. "If you want give her some flowers with it?"

"Why do girls have to be so difficult?" Ron muttered.

"They probably think we're difficult." Harry muttered boredly.

"I know that…" Ron snapped. "Say, what did you get her?"

"Hermione?"

"Yeah."

"What's it matter?"

"I don't want my present to be less exciting then yours."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I got her the ever-changing punching bag from your brothers joke shop. The one that changes into who ever your angry at."

"Oh yeah."

A few moments later Remus Lupin, Tonks, and both Weasley Twins arrived at that house. Harry was overly thrilled that Christmas was going filled with people he liked, and best of all, like a family environment. Ms. Weasley came from the kitchen and invited them all, giving them warm welcomes, then started to arrange sleeping areas. Harry joined her and shook hands with Lupin, Tonks hugged him, and Harry showed Fred and George how to do high fives. After the huge welcome, everyone settled in. Ron and Harry went out doors to hang out with Fred and George, while the adults talked over adult things. After a while Ginny and Hermione joined them.

"You know even in Diagon Alley we heard about you two." Fred slapped Harry on the back.

"Really is quite amazing when you think about it." George pinched Ginny's cheek, to which she pushed him away.

"Why is it so amazing?" Ginny looked embarrassed. "It's only natural that a boy and girl feel things for each other after they've known each other for a long time."

"Excuse me." George bowed in teasing fear.

"Didn't mean to offend." Fred play cowered.

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "Whatever, it's none of your business anyhow what Harry and I do."

"You hear that George. It isn't our business." Fred winked.

"I guess if she says it, then it must be true." George continued.

"I mean, what business is it of ours if our baby sister is being ravaged by the best seeker in history?"

"He does not--" Ginny shouted.

"Alas, our poor sister is no longer a girl." George placed his hand on his heart.

"Yes, she's a woman now." Fred fake cried.

"We haven't done any--" Ginny started again.

"Harry, it's your responsibility to take care of my innocent little sister." Fred laughed.

"I think he's already done that, George."

"Ah, you're right of course. Except for that innocent part."

"She's quite a firecracker, you think you can handle her?" George jabbed Harry in his rib.

"I ..err…" Harry opened his mouth but got interrupted.

"That's the spirit!" Fred said. "If this man can face You Know Who, he can tame the beast that is Ginny Weasley!"

"I am not a beast!" Ginny's face was red.

Fred gave an apologetic shrug. "Aw, come off it, Ginny. We're just having a bit of fun."

"Truth is, we couldn't be happier." George added.

"Well I probably could be happier."

"Now that you mention it, I could too."

Harry tried not to laugh at them again, but he found he couldn't help himself. Ginny looked at Harry in disappointment, but then found herself laughing as well in spite of herself.

"How is your shop coming along." Harry suddenly broke the brothers Ginny badgering. Ron looked interested as well in this.

"Busier than ever, especially around the Christmas season." George placed his hands in his pockets, then looked at Hermione. "Hey Granger, I didn't see you here."

"Hi…um…George?" Hermione looked slightly confused on which twin was which.

"Yep, that's him." Fred then turned to Harry. "Truth is Harry, we almost didn't make it. We thought about staying open during the Holiday, but we knew we couldn't miss Christmas with mum and dad."

"Yeah, we couldn't just step out on the family like some of our siblings."

Harry knew that George was talking about Percy, who had seemed to had betrayed the family after taking an office with Fudge. He still worked for the Minister of Magic, and still kept out of contact with his family. Harry could not understand this in the least, since he had no family of his own, he could not understand why anyone would want to give up on a family if they had one. Especially one like the Weasleys.

"I'm really glad you two came." Harry smiled.

Ginny pouted. "Well that makes one of us anyway."

The twins and Harry laughed at that. Aside from Hermione and Ron, Harry considered them some of his closest friends. He knew he could count on them whenever he had some rule breaking to do in the past, and they had taken it upon themselves to have trained him in their rule breaking methods, although Harry never thought he'd be in a league like them.

That night, rooms were tight. Ms. Weasley was forced to give Lupin Percy's old room, Tonks Ginny's room, Bill and Fleur shared his room, Charlie had come down from Romania and decided to stay for Christmas, which naturally meant he was to stay in his old room. Fred and George went back to their old rooms, leaving Harry, Hermione, and Ginny to share a room with Ron. Since there was only Ron's bed, Hermione and Ginny slept in it, while Harry and Ron had to sleep on the ground, which was hard and grew colder by the hour on the account of the weather out doors.

Ron hated sleeping on the floor, because he always said it hurt his back. However there was not much sleeping being done. During most of the night, the four talked about various things. Mostly Ron talked to Harry and Hermione and Ginny talked to each other. But around two in the morning Ron started complaining about how his back hurt again, and Ginny peered down over the side of her bed.

"Are you conformable down there?"

"Of course I'm not." Ron looked puzzled, and shivered.

"If you want we can trade spaces for a while."

Ron sat up, as if he was going to except this offer then he stopped himself. "You just want to lay down here next to Harry don't you?"

"You caught me." Ginny smiled.

"No way." Ron laid back down. "I can accept that you and him have a .. personal life… but I don't want to see it. Not in my room, anyway."

Harry completely understood Ron's reasoning, and thought he might feel awkward being close to his sister with him being in the same room. Ginny, however did not seem to see this logic and gave a grumble.

"C'mon Ron, it's not like I'm gonna snog him all night or nothing."

"Oh… bloody hell, I don't want to think about it." Ron squinted, then looked at Harry. "She's your girlfriend make her stop!"

"I can't make her do anything." Harry said simply. He saw Ginny smile from the bed.

"Ron, is your back seriously hurting you?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, a bit." Ron muttered. "But I'm not going to let my room be make-out central either."

"I'll lay down there for awhile then, and when your back feels better you can take my place, how's that?" Hermione offered.

"Fine with me. As long as you don't start kissing all over my best mate." Ron sat up again.

"I'll try to restrain myself." Hermione said dryly.

The two switched places, and Harry found it odd to be with in inches of Hermione's face when they were both laying down. Then he realized he had never slept in the same room as Hermione before, let alone that close to her. He wondered if he snored, or did anything weird in his sleep. But Harry didn't have to worry for long because as soon as Ron laid down in his bed, he feel asleep and Ron was a loud sleeper.

Harry heard Ginny groan as Ron must have rolled over on her. Harry had noticed that in Hogwarts, Ron hugged a body pillow, and he wondered if he was hugging his sister at that moment. He really couldn't tell because Hermione was laying in front of him, her eyes looking slightly heavy.

Harry leaned in even closer to Hermione and whispered softly. "Psst. Hermione."

Hermione blinked. "Sorry. What is it Harry?"

"I was just wondering… You know, about you and Ron?" Harry continued to whisper.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hermione spoke softly.

"Don't play that with me Haven't you been noticing how differently Ron treats you lately? After the Ball."

Hermione shook her head. "He's the same way he always is."

Harry felt frustrated, knowing better. "Well what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Isn't there someone out there you care for, that you want to be with?"

Hermione blushed slightly. "Harry, you must be tired. Why are you talking about stuff like this?"

"I don't know." Harry honestly didn't know. Normally he would not pry into things like this. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I am just tired."

"You should try and get some sleep." Hermione shivered.

"You're cold aren't you?"

"A bit." Hermione obviously was lying.

Harry suddenly realized his body felt frozen as well. Ron's bed must have been enchanted to be warm, because he heard both Ginny and Ron making heavy breathing noises, Ron more than Ginny.

"Don't take this the wrong way Hermione but--"

"--you want me to jump in your sleeping bag, and put mine over top of us so we can share body heat?" Hermione said quickly.

"Err, something like that." Harry found himself blushing.

"Thought you'd never ask." Hermione sat up. "Don't worry Harry, I trust you."

Hermione climbed out of her sleeping back and somehow squeezed herself into Harry's then pulled the sleeping bag she was in over top of them. After she had done this she got comfortable and wrapped her body around Harry, her cold nose touched his right cheek. At first Harry felt awkward that a girl, besides Ginny, was cuddling with him, and was reluctant to wrap his arms around Hermione. But as soon as their bodies started generating heat, he suddenly did not seem to mind so much, and returned her embrace with one of his own.

It had only seemed like he had closed his eyes for one moment before he had was awaken by Fred. The light from the morning sun peered into Ron's window, thus telling Harry he had been asleep for hours. He looked up and saw the twins, Ron and Ginny all looking down on him. He started to sit up, but found he was being weighed down. He glanced down and saw Hermione's head resting on his upper chest and shoulder, still in deep sleep.

Harry really did not want to wake her up, but she was laying on top of him and there was nothing he could do. He gave Hermione a small nudge, which, thankfully she steered. She moaned and hugged Harry tighter as she stretched, rubbing the side of her face into Harry's shoulder, not really aware of her surroundings.

"Good morning." Hermione spoke in a sleepy voice.

"Good morning." Ginny giggled slightly. "Did you have fun using my boyfriend as a pillow?"

"Sorry?" Hermione glanced to her side, slightly up and saw Harry's face. "Oh! Harry!"

She blushed and suddenly pulled herself off of him, sitting up. Harry sat up as well, but because of the sleeping bag, they were sitting literally side by side. After some effort they had managed to pull themselves out of the bed. On standing up, they both felt stiff from sleeping on the floor, Hermione less so than Harry, as she was laying on him most of the night.

"Honestly, we were just cold." Hermione suddenly felt the need to explain herself.

"It's okay Hermione. I know that Harry makes a good pillow." Ginny smiled.

"Wait a tick, how do you know that?" Ron looked at his sister.

"When Harry was in the hospital--"

Fred and George burst into laughter. "Harry and Hermione, Harry and Ginny… anyone else?"

"I don't think so." Harry stretched the back of his neck, feeling stiff.

"Really it's was nothing like that." Hermione blushed at Fred and George. She still had an imprint of Harry's shirt on her cheek.

"Hermione, you're the only girl I don't have a problem touching Harry." Ginny reassured her.

"Eh, who cares about all that. Let's go downstairs and open presents." George suggested.

They all trooped down the stairs and into the sitting room, finding a smell of breakfast awaiting them. Ms. Weasley was in the kitchen cooking away, being hindered by Tonks and Fleur. Ginny and Hermione both thought it would be wise to rescue her from their 'help.' When Harry followed the two girls into the kitchen Ms. Weasley greeted them.

"Ah, awake are we?" She smiled. "I trust you weren't too cold, Hermione - Harry?"

They both looked awkwardly at each other, knowing that somehow she must have peeked in on them when they were asleep. She had a smile in her voice, and they knew she must have found it amusing that they shared a sleeping bag. It seemed that they were the only ones embarrassed by it.

"Ron's back hurt you see." Hermione started to explain. "But he didn't want Ginny on the ground with Harry…"

"Hermione, dear, it's quite alright. Now if you don't mind, could you help me with the sausage?"

After everyone had gathered around and had breakfast, they all settled in the sitting room and opened presents. Naturally there was a lot of people so everyone had a decent amount of presents to open. Harry found it more exciting on seeing what everyone else got, rather than him, although he felt happy that people actually cared enough to get him gifts. He had even gotten a card from the Dursleys, which he amusingly shared with everyone.

Harry had gotten Mr. Weasley a flashlight, knowing that he was wild about all things Muggles made. Harry was surprised at how shocked everyone was (minus Hermione) that a nonmagic tube emitted light. Harry, had to explained how it worked, and also what batteries were. He was out done when Hermione had bought him a Muggle Encyclopedia collection.

He had gotten Mrs. Weasley a series of Teflon pots and pans, noticing that wizards had not invented a nonsticking surfaces yet. Harry explained this to Mrs. Weasley when she seemed confused about it's purpose, then he had to demonstrate by quickly cooking a fried egg. After the demonstration, Mrs. Weasley seemed highly impressed with Muggle cookware.

"Imagine… a Muggle invention that actually surpasses our Wizardry cookware!"

As for the Weasley twins, he had gotten them a series of Muggle joke artifacts, such as stink bombs, snake in a can, whoopie-cushions, things of that nature. He told them that on seeing some traditional Muggle jokes, they might because to make wizard counterparts. They seemed to enjoy the novelity of Muggle jokes and thought some of the things were good enough to sale on there own.

Bill and Charlie where hard for Harry to buy for, as he did not know much about them. But he had gotten them each some books, which they seemed to appreciate. For Lupin, Harry bought him a suit that repaired itself once ripped, knowing that Remus must go through a load of clothes every time he transformed into a werewolf. He bought Fleur a light violet cloak that was enchanted to shield rain off of her, and Tonks a mirror that showed her any place she wanted to see.

As for Ron, he got him the Quidditch book had had been raving about, and some padded Quidditch gloves because Ron had been complaining about catching too many Quaffles started hurting after a while. Both Hermione and Ginny seemed to like the gifts he gave them, especially Ginny who flat out hugged and kissed him in front of the whole family, which slightly embarrassed him. But on having the whole family laugh and clap for them, he did not feel so bad.

Harry made out good as well from the gifts he had received, although anything made Harry feel good. He still was not used to receiving gifts so anything anyone got him he felt was too expensive. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were proud that Harry was so modest, but would scold him every time Harry would say "You really didn't have too" or "I can't except this, it's too much."

Ron had gotten Harry an enchanted bag that was small, but held more than a bag three times it's size. Ron pointed out that Harry could stash his broom and all his Quidditch gear in it, and still have room left over. The twins gave Harry an assortment of items from their shop, and a bag that carried the gold he had left behind the beginning of the school year. Hermione got him book of spells, which Harry tended to expect from Hermione and her gifts. Ginny had gotten Harry a diary that was linked to a diary she would possess. They could communicated over it, without anyone else being able to read or use it.

When everyone had finished their presents, Fleur discovered there was one left over. "Zat est strange. Je tot all ze presents w'ere 'anded out." On looking on the tab she found it was for Harry. This confused everyone because they all had already given him their gifts, and Harry had already opened one from Dumbledore and the Dursley's card.

When he received the present he saw who it was from, just by the hand writing. "It's from Cho Chang."

"What?" Ginny stood up. "That bloody girl…that stupid desperate goddamn girl!"

"Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley shouted. "Watch your mouth."

"Should I open it?" Harry looked nervous at the package.

Ron looked over the package. "It could have a spell in it."

Lupin asked for the gift, which Ron handed to him, and he examined it, and even used his wand to scan it. After a while he tossed it back to Harry. "I don't see anything wrong with it. There is a magical item in there, but it's not enchanted to do anything to anyone."

Harry swallowed hard and opened the package. Inside he pulled out a picture. It was him when he was thirteen years old in his Quidditch gear, and Cho facing to him, her fourteen year old self also in her Quidditch gear. Cho was smiling at Harry and Harry was looking nervously, smiling back at her. Harry remembered that when the picture was taken. It was before Cho and his first Quidditch match together, the first time he rode his Firebolt, and the first time he had noticed a girl was pretty. Also inside the package was a beat up looking Golden Snitch and a letter that read:

Dearest Harry,

I remember this day like it was yesterday, and I was wondering if you did also. Colin Creevey took this picture before our first match, when I met you. I remember thinking you were cute for the legendary "Boy who lived.", and I noticed that you thought I was pretty by the way you were looking at me. After our match, I was impressed by you and your sportsmanship. I was touched when you were a gentleman towards me, even when were in a match. I had asked Colin to give me a copy of his pictures so I would never forget this game, and I secretly took the Snitch as well. These items are very dear to me, but I wanted to share them with you. I hope you like them as much as I like you. Until we meet again at school, I will remain yours.

Love your Cho

P.S. Thank you for the gift.

"That girl. I can't stand that girl!" Ginny muttered, reading the letter over Harry's shoulder.

"Gift?" Ron looked at Harry. "You got her something?"

"No." Harry looked puzzled. "I don't remember sending her one anyway."

"Knowing her, she probably made up another lie and has started to believe it." Ginny muttered.

"Are you sure Harry?" Hermione asked. "When you were buying gifts a couple months ago, you might have bought something for her and ordered the shop to send it to her on Christmas."

Harry thought extremely hard. He would remember sending Cho something, he knew he would. The only thing he remembered buying for her was an item from the Twin's joke store the beginning of school. Other than that he could not think of anything. "I don't think I did Hermione."

"Like I said, she made it up and believes her own lie." Ginny repeated. "Oh I hate that girl."


	7. Chapter 7

Harry Potter and the Unicorn's Horn

by

Glee-chan

This is a fan fiction based on the J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe. I do not take claim to own any characters, places, and magical objects that are not original. Most characters are the property of Rowling, and I do not intend to make money off of this fan fiction, merely just writing for fun. I don't have a million dollars to fork over, thus does not want any legal action to be taken. The events in this story take place in a Book 6 alternate timeline

Chapter Seven

All throughout the rest of the Holiday, Harry thought on the matter of the Cho's letter and could not remember sending her a Christmas gift. When school started up again, he was nervous about what surprise Cho had in store for him next. However life in Hogwarts move along as normal, even though Harry noticed that he was seeing less of Professor Dumbledore these days.

He also realized that he had one Date-Cho-Challenge left over. The success of the last two had rallied the school, thus making the Professors to pressure Harry into making the third just as exciting. They wanted the next competition to be a school wide one, where everyone could compete, but Cho and Harry both pointed out that the contract said that only 6th and 7th years could compete. Still this did not make Harry's job easier, for he still wanted to choose something that he could lose at.

The school buzzed about the Christmas Holidays, and the gifts they had received over it. Harry noticed a lot of the twin's joke products seemed to be popular through out the halls. During classes whenever he got bored Harry would look in his diary to see if Ginny had written him. Sometimes she had and others she had not. But in Slughorns class, Harry checked his diary and Ginny has asked him to meet her in the Great Hall, she wanted help with 5th year Defense Against the Dark Arts and did not want to be ogled at by Gryffindors in the common room.

So after class, Harry broke tradition, and started to break away from Ron, Hermione, Parvati and Lavender. But at once they noticed he was doing so and inquired about where he was going.

"I'm going to tutor someone." Oddly enough the truth sounded like a lie. They all gave him strange faces, except for Parvati.

"Is it potions, because if it is, I wouldn't mind sitting in." She asked.

"Nope, this time its Defense Against the Dark Arts." Harry shrugged.

"Oh, you can teach that your sleep." Lavender commented, glancing from Harry to Hermione. "Maybe Hermione could help you out… what I mean to say is that you might need an assistant."

"He'll do fine." Hermione snapped slightly at Lavender. "Besides, I bet it's Ginny he's tutoring."

"What makes you think that?" Ron asked.

"Because after Snape took over she's been having troubles and has been asking me to help her. But I guess something is too tricky that she thought Harry might be able to help her better."

"Really Hermione, I bet you are just as good as Harry." Lavender muttered.

"Not when it comes to the practical stuff. He's head over heels better at that. I'm better at the theories and books work." Hermione shrugged Lavender off.

"Maybe she's just using it as an excuse to be alone with him." Parvati giggled.

Harry shook his head. "She wrote me in the diary she gave me for Christmas. If she just wanted to be alone she would have just said so."

"Well maybe--" Lavender started again.

"If you're so concerned about Ginny, why don't you go with Harry and help." Ron grumbled.

"It was that…I…well…do you want me to go?" She looked at Ron, who only responded with a shrug.

Harry sighed and started for the Great Hall. "Lavender if you're coming, I'm leaving. I'll see everyone later."

Harry, and Lavender who ran up behind him, made their way into the Great Hall. Harry felt slightly awkward, being alone with Lavender for the first time in his life. She was always with Parvati when he saw her, except the occasional times she was studying in the common room. The walk over was strangely silent, and for the life of him, he could not think of anything to talk about to Lavender. When they arrived at the Great Hall, they saw Ginny and took a seat next to her.

"Hello Lavender?" Ginny looked as confused as Harry looked.

"Hi Ginny." She answered back with a sort of forced politeness.

Lightning cracked, and Harry jumped and looked out the Great Hall's giant windows, suddenly aware that a snow storm was happening outside. When thunder cracked a second time the lights dimmed but returned to their normal level. Harry tried to ignore the weather and focus on Ginny.

"She seemed concerned that I might need help in tutoring you." Harry felt a need to explain the situation, although from the looks on both Ginny and Lavender's faces he had a clue that both of them were not convinced this was the truth.

Harry decided to ignore the complexities of women and looked over Ginny's Defense Against the Dark Arts book, then at her notes, trying to see what she was having trouble in. Snape had apparently assigned her an essay on The Imperius Curse. All she had written down so far that the after saying the incantation: Imperio, the curse gives total control to the bearer of the wand. Harry had guess that Ginny figured he might have seen the spell first hand and wanted his opinion on it.

"Hermione just won't let leave him alone." Lavender said after awhile.

"Excuse me?" Ginny looked up from her work.

"Everyone knows I like him…everyone but him that is." Lavender sighed, looking extremely depressed.

Harry looked from Ginny to Lavender, then back to Ginny feeling like he had just walked into a class room and a test had been handed out and he had not studied. Ginny seemed to understand a little bit more on the subject but still was not grasping everything Lavender was saying.

"It's like every time I try to be alone with him, something happens. And it's usually Hermione's fault."

Harry knew studying was going to be close to impossible with this going on. "You're talking about Ron, right?"

"Of course I am." Lavender snapped, looking completely naked, even in her winter layers.

"Look, take it from a guy, and Ron's best friend." Harry sighed. "You have to be blunt and just tell him how you feel. He won't know other wise. As for Hermione, she probably doesn't even realize she doing anything to you."

Ginny did not look as if she agreed one hundred percent of what he was saying but agreed with his overall advise. "My brother is dense when it comes to girls."

Lavender smiles slightly at Harry and Ginny then looked over her their shoulder and her smile faded. "Cho is coming."

Harry turned around and sure enough Cho was running towards their table. Harry thought this was odd, since he had never seen Cho run toward the table before, but on looking at her eye line he saw she was chasing something. It was a small ball, rolling out of her reach, stopping at Ginny's foot.

Ginny leaned over from her seated position and picked up the ball, giving Cho a slight frown. Cho stopped in front of Ginny, her face flushed from running, and look at Harry almost at once, ignoring Ginny and Lavender's presence.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

"Never stopped you before." Ginny muttered.

Cho turned her gaze to Ginny and gave a fake smile towards her, then looked back at Harry. "Did you get my gift?"

"Err, um, yes. Thank you." Harry said awkwardly.

"Did you want your ball?" Ginny held up the small ball with as our expression on her face.

"Oh, yes. There it is." Cho walked over closer to Ginny and reached for it.

At that moment a huge thunder sound echoed across the stone walls in the Great Hall and the lights dimmed again. A couple of screams came from girls at another table. Harry was thankful that the three girls next to him weren't shrieking their head off at darkness. When the lights came back on, Harry noticed Cho looked disorientated. Harry figured because she was standing up, when everyone else had been sitting, that she lost her sense of direction momentary. She looked at Ginny, squinting from the light, then stepped backwards. She accidentally tripped on the back of her robe and fell head first backwards. Harry couldn't get out of his seat quick enough to catch her, and she smacked hard on the stone floor.

Ginny just stared at Cho on the ground, who was holding the ball she had been holding previously. "She's…her head's bleeding Harry!"

Harry saw Cho was laying motionless, and there was a small red pool forming in the back of her head. "This can't be good, we need a Professor."

Lavender jumped out of her seat. "Professor Snape's at the teachers table. I'll get him." She ran off.

Ginny just stood over Cho, staring with a white face, while Harry knelt next to her, not sure if he should do anything. He grabbed her hand, which was warm, and he felt a pulse. "She's alive…" Harry breathed. Still she was not moving, and Harry looked desperately at Ginny. "I don't know what to do?"

A crowd of students surround them, until Professor Snape, along with Lavender cleared the way. Snape's mean expression turned into one of concern momentarily. "Out of the way Potter." Harry quickly got out of the way, while Snape took the position Harry was in and examined her. He gave deep breath, then after a while picked Cho up delicately. "She's just unconscious, and has a cut in the back of her head. She's fine to move, Potter." He responded to Harry's worried expression.

Snape picked Cho up and left the Great Hall, being followed by a small group of Cho's closest friends. Harry looked a small puddle of blood that Cho had left on the ground next to him. Lavender gave a huge sigh, and sat down next to him placing a hand on her heart as if to calm herself. Ginny still stood shocked over the blood.

"H-Harry, I want to the common room... now." Ginny said in a soft voice.

Harry looked at Ginny, seeing how upset she was. "It wasn't your fault - the lights went out and she got scared and tripped. I saw her."

"I did too. It isn't your fault." Lavender reached out an arm and grabbed Ginny's hand.

"I know… I just want to get out of here."

Harry collected Ginny's books, while Lavender held Ginny's hand and started walking toward the exit. Harry joined them and grabbed Ginny's other hand with his free arm. As the walked, Ginny seemed to regain her composure. It was close to no time at all when they were before the portrait of the Fat Lady.

Ginny blushed. "I can't seem to remember the password after all that excitement."

Lavender gave the password and they led her into the common room, giving her a seat close to the fire place. Ron and Hermione watched this happened, then ran over to see what the problem was. But by then, Ginny seemed more or less like her normal self. Lavender did the best she could explaining what had happened to Ron, who looked completely worried.

"She's just freaked out over that?" Ron raised an eyebrow. "Well I guess that could be scary."

"Ron you weren't there, you didn't see her head bounce off the stone and see her blood." Harry shook his head. "Everyone thought she was dead."

Ron shrugged and gave Ginny a fake punch on the arm. "Cheer up. After all, you're with Harry now, and everything is fine."

"Oh. Yeah, you're right about that." Ginny looked at Harry, then saw he collected her books. "How sweet."

Hermione sat down next to Ginny. "Did you get any studying done, before all of that stuff happened?"

Ginny flinched. "A little. Not a lot, really." She looked down at her robes and saw a bit of blood on them. "I need to go to my room. I want to change out of these clothes."

"Oh, I'll come with you." Hermione stood up and started following Ginny up the stairs. "We'll be a minute." She called back after them.

Ron looked at Harry and muttered. "Why do girls have to do everything in groups. Like Ginny couldn't change on her own?"

"I don't know, ask Lavender, she's a girl." Harry glanced at Lavender, who was looking up the stairs as he was talking.

"She doesn't need help changing Ron, she just wants to talk with someone."

Ron laughed. "Girls are weird. When I'm changing, my first thought isn't to start a chat with Harry. In fact I'd rather no one say anything at all, and look in the other direction."

"Girls aren't worried about stuff like that." Lavender's face was pink. "I've seen Parvati and Hermione nearly naked, if not naked, a thousand times, it's just no big deal."

Ron's face got slightly redder. Harry laughed. "you said the 'N' word around him, better watch out."

"Oi!" Ron looked at Harry. "Don't you tell me that you didn't get a mental image."

"You … thought about that?" Lavender's face was still pink.

"Lavender, I'm 16. I think about girls all the time." Ron smirked.

Harry rolled his eyes, but he could not admit any different for himself. He noticed girls way to often, however that seemed to have muted when he started seriously going with Ginny. She was pretty much the one he thought about lately. He glanced from Ron to Lavender, and realized they were having a moment and he was in the middle of it. Still he couldn't think of a way to leave them, without Ron following him. So he stayed where he was and pretended to not be listening to their conversation.

"Have you ever thought about me?" Lavender got out in a giggle.

"I guess so." Ron looked at Harry, as if he was unsure where the conversation had suddenly turned.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean don't get upset or anything." Ron shrugged. "You're one of the prettiest girls in the school, so of course I've thought about you."

Lavender giggled. "No, I'm not mad, just surprised."

Harry rolled his eyes. Ron looked uncomfortable. "You have to know that a load of boys want to go out with you."

"Well I didn't." Lavender obviously was flirting.

Harry glanced at Ginny's books and pretended to be interested in them. "It's true. Boys think your pretty." Harry said in a dry voice.

Lavender ignored Harry. "Ron. I really wanted to go with you to the Christmas Ball, but I understand why you couldn't take me. But I was wondering if maybe we could do something later, like visit each other on our next trip to Hogsmeade."

"Um… sure?" Ron glanced at Harry giving him a bewildered look.

"Great. Um, I got to go, you know study and all that." Lavender ran off, leaving Harry to look at Ron with a smirk on his face.

"What do you think is the matter with her?" Ron shook his head.

"She just asked you out, you know." Harry flicked Ron on the head.

"WHAT?" Ron looked completely blind-sided. "You don't mean all that talk was about how she wanted to go out with me?"

"You're a bright one, you know that?" Harry laughed.

"Why didn't you say something?"

"What was I supposed to say? She asked you out as clear as day."

"It was not so clear. She was just embarrassed that we told her boys think she's pretty."

"She wanted you to compliment her!" Harry shook his head, surprised at how clueless he was. "She was making you butter her up, then when she offered the date, you really had no choice but except after telling her how great she was."

"Bloody Hell." Ron muttered. "I'm asking Hermione about all this. It's not like you're an expert on women."

"I would say he knows far more than you, Ronald Weasley." Hermione had come down the stairs, her face red.

"Look Harry, there she is, I'm going to ask her about all this." Ron stood up and dragged Hermione by her arm to where they were sitting. She looked flustered, as she was being dragged, but did not say anything. "See Lavender is acting all weird talking about 'do you think about me' and 'am I pretty' weird stuff like that. And I'm like 'yeah sure.' because it's stupid for her to think she isn't pretty. Then she goes about saying 'we should meet up at Hogsmeade' and I told her 'yeah'. And HARRY thinks she asked me out."

"Moron." Harry shook his head.

"Hey! Just wait, Hermione's going to tell you different!"

Hermione's face was still red. "You really are a moron."

"What?"

"She obviously asked you out, and you said you would go with her."

Ron's face turned white. "I…she tricked me!"

"Oh come off it Ron, it's not so bad. At least she's pretty and you think about her." Hermione grumbled.

"What's that got to do with anything?" Ron shrugged. "So what, I think about her, Parvati, you… It's not like I want to marry her or anything."

"You think about me?" Hermione's red faded slightly.

Ron stood up and laughed. "Oh no, I'm not falling for that again. Stop teasing me Hermione." Harry smacked his forehead.

"I'm not teasing you Ron." Hermione lowered her eyebrows. "I just wanted to know."

"Well even though you're my friend I still think your pretty." Ron looked at Harry as if Hermione lost her mind. "Don't get worked up over it though, you can't help being pretty."

Hermione rubbed her face in frustration. "How is it that you can say something so nice and turn around and just toss it away?" She got up and stomped up the stairs towards the girls dormitory.

"What?" Ron looked at Harry. "What'd I say?"

The next day Harry heard rumors that Cho had woken up, but Madame Pomfrey had kept her in the hospital because she was saying belligerent things. Cho's friends were extremely worried about her, and Padma had even asked Harry to visit her, hoping her mind would come back to her once she saw him. Harry had considered it, but he also did not want to upset Ginny. He thought it might be a good idea to ask her what she thought he should do.

But Ginny seemed a bit out of it herself. Her friends kept having to remind her that they had class, or that she had to be somewhere, that she did not remember. Harry thought that perhaps seeing Cho like that the day before had really scared her. The only time she seemed normal was when she was with him. She seemed to be over affectionate, and looked for an excuse to hold his hand at every opportunity. Harry figured, like him, that over the Christmas Holiday there were a lot of repressed emotions they couldn't show each other on account of them being in front of her family.

When it came to be lunch, Harry thought he would visit Cho. He couldn't take the pleads he kept getting from Cho's friends. Harry told Ginny what he was planning on doing. Although she really didn't want him to go, she told him that she didn't want to control him and to do what he felt was right. The guilt of not seeing her would dig at him if he refused, so he made his way to the Hospital wing.

When he arrived Cho was sitting in her hospital bed, with a small bandage wrapped around her head that looked like a head band. Padma already there visiting her. When Harry walked in, Cho jump out of bed and ran over to him giving him a hug. Harry felt strange because Cho was only wearing a Hospital gown. Padma quickly got up, racing over to them, with a blanket from the bed, and placed it over Cho's shoulders.

Cho shook off the blanket and looked at Padma with a frustrated face. "I'm not sick, damn it, I just banged my head."

Harry pulled himself from Cho's hug and walked her back to her bed, to make Padma feel better. "She's been acting like this since I came in." Padma looked sad. "Like she doesn't want me here."

Cho grumbled and looked at Harry helplessly. "That's because I hardly know her, Harry."

Harry saw Padma's facial expression look hurt. "She just wants to help." Was all he could think of.

"Well she can't, you're the only one that can." Cho looked at Harry with a pleading look. "No one believes me, no one. But you will. I know you will!"

"I—I don't understand." Harry looked at Padma.

Padma shook her head. "She had this crazy idea that she's Ginny Weasley. She keeps saying that over and over."

Harry blinked, feeling strangely awkward. "Why do you think you're Ginny?"

"Ugh, I don't think it, I know it. This body.. it's not mine! It's Cho's not mine." She pulled at her hospital gown as if she were trying to pry off her own skin. "I can prove it, I can, but no one will let me! They think I've gone crazy!"

"Not to make you feel bad or anything, but you sort of look a bit out of it." Harry gave a small smile.

"C'mon, just listen alright." Cho rolled her eyes. "It happened yesterday, before I fell down. I gave Cho her stupid ball, and the lights went out, then when they came back on, I was looking at me…not Cho but Ginny. I was so surprised I fell over."

Padma shook her head. "She told Professor McGonagall the same story. She wouldn't talk to Professor Flitwick."

"She didn't believe me. She acted like she would look into it, but I know she didn't believe me. If I hadn't fell over everyone would believe me, no one does." Cho mumbled.

"Okay." Harry breathed. "Say I do, I need to know you're telling the truth. You have to help me out."

"Right." Cho looked up trying to think of something. "You want to know something only I would know, I mean Ginny."

Padma glanced at Harry uncomfortably. "I don't know why this would happen to her? She's been so obsessed with you, she must have thought the only way she could be with you is if she was Ginny. She must have convinced herself she is Ginny."

"Damn it Padma, am I acting like Cho at all? Ugh, that Stupid girl, I know she did this to me."

"Just calm down and try to think of something that you think only I would know." Harry looked worried. What if Cho was not crazy and this was Ginny? It was unlikely but it could happen.

Cho closed her eyes as if the answers would come that way. "I have something, but I don't want to say it in front of Padma."

Padma sighed. "I'll be out in the hall."

Harry watched Padma leave. Once she did Cho leaned closer to Harry and pointed at a Hospital bed across the room from her. "I gave you hickeys in that bed over there." She nodded then continued. "I spent every night you were in the hospital with you. Over Christmas Holiday, we spent the night together. I told you that…that I love you. And you said you loved me too." She had tears in her eyes. "I wanted to be with you that night, but I was scared. I didn't want to rush things. I think you felt the same way. Um…the…uh…the next night we spent it in Ron's room, and you and Hermione shared a sleeping bag. You looked all cute and scared that I'd be angry, but I wasn't, I really wasn't. Hermione is the only girl I trust you with." She took a deep breath. "Now how could Cho know all that?"

"I… I don't think she could."

"You want more? When I first saw you at platform nine and three quarters, I knew I had a crush on you. Um… sorry, I never told you that. I mean um, well…oh yeah, In the Chamber of Secrets I was so scared, but you saved me from Voldemort. And now I'm not afraid of him, because I know you'll always be there for me." Cho cursed. "No, I never told you that either. Harry you have to believe me! I'm not Cho!"

"I believe you." Harry could not believe he actually did.

Cho, or rather Ginny in Cho's body, jumped from her bed and hugged Harry again, and gave him a kiss. "Oh good, I'm so glad. I was so worried!" Harry stiffed when the body of Cho kissed him. Ginny sensed this and pulled back. "I know it's weird, I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself. I'm so scared."

"It's okay." Harry's mind rushed. "If you're in Cho's body, then Cho must be in your body?"

"That…that stupid whore." Ginny slammed her fists on her bed. "You have to change us back. Hermione will believe you if you tell her!" Then a thought crossed her mind. "You and her…I mean Cho…you didn't… I mean I can understand if you did, but I mean…"

"She's just been holding my hand a lot."

"Good. Well better than what I expected." Ginny gave a sigh of relief. "If you kissed her, I would have understood."

"I didn't." Harry repeated. "I think if I told Professor McGonagall that I believe you, she'll listen to reason. I don't really know where to begin to change you back."

"You have to do it quick. I want to touch you, to kiss you, but you'll always look at me the way you are looking at me now, and I can't take it." Ginny whimpered. "I know it's a different body, but it's still me."

Harry could not make himself see beyond the Asian features of Cho, even though Ginny's facial expressions and personality were shinning through. "I'll need time, that's all. For now, you have to pretend you're her to get Madame Pomfrey let you out of the hospital. That way we can talk to the Professor together."

"What if McGonagall thinks I'm crazy even with you believing me?" Ginny pouted. "I'll be back in here in no time. We have to do this ourselves, Hermione can help us!"

"If we don't tell Professor McGonagall, you'll have to pretend you're Cho for however long it takes to figure things out. Not only that, but the real Cho will think something if I start acting like I know the truth. I'll have to pretend I don't know the truth when I'm around her."

Ginny ran her fingers though her hair, then looked disgusted at it. "It's our only choice. I don't think McGonagall will believe us." She sighed.

"Fine, we'll do it your way. It'll just be you me, Ron and Hermione that knows." Harry thought out loud.

"You have to break up with 'Ginny', okay! Promise me you'll break up with her! I can't stand you being with her. Maybe she'll fix things herself if she sees that you aren't interested in my body anymore."

"I don't know… what if she suspects something?"

"No, it'll work. See, Cho thinks Hermione has it for you…so convince Hermione to pretend you're going out!"

Harry was hating this plan the more involved it got. "This is crazy…this whole thing is crazy."

"Do you have a better idea?" Ginny sighed loudly. "I'll pretend I'm Cho, just to get out of here. Then I'll pretend to every now and then to convince you that I'm really me, but you won't believe me. Then when you break up with Cho, she will believe you're doing it for Hermione. And Hermione, has to start flirting with you before hand…else Cho will think we planned this."

It was awkward for Harry to pretend to be normal around Cho, when she was acting like Ginny. But after the conversation with the real Ginny, he was able to see Cho inside Ginny's body. Curtain facial expressions, such as biting her lower lip, and being slightly more shy and polite, along with saying "oh" a lot sold Harry on the Ginny in the hospital as being the real Ginny.

When Cho had retired for the night, Harry attempted to explain the situation to Ron and Hermione. It took forever to explain, but after he had given them all the details he knew, and Ginny's plan he stopped talking and let them think over what he had just said. Ron seemed to the hardest to sell on the body switch, and was less pleased with the plan that the Ginny in the hospital had thought up.

"Now that you mention it, I noticed Ginny was acting weird all day." Hermione thought about it. "She was colder to me, rude you know. And she seemed to have forgotten a lot of normal things, like where she left things and where things where. Ginny's section of the room is very organized, she knows where everything is.

"I still don't know." Ron commented. "I want to talk to the Cho-Ginny tomorrow."

"You can't do that!" Hermione slapped Ron on the arm. "You've never talked to the real Cho, so how would it look you talking to her all of a sudden?"

"Well how else am I supposed to find out with what Harry is saying is true, huh?"

"You just have to watch .. uh…the Ginny that just left us more closely." Hermione said. "Without making it seem like that's what you're doing!"

"Fine, whatever." Ron muttered. "So are you going to start flirting with Harry every time Cho's around?"

Harry looked at Hermione, also interested in her answer for this. Hermione looked uncomfortable when answering. "Well you see, I'd have to keep it up, even if she's not around. We wouldn't want word to come back to her that I'm pretending."

Ron and Harry looked at each other. "This will never work." Harry muttered.

"Harry, you have to start pretending you like me too. If you're supposed to break up with Cho…I mean Ginny…whatever, and go out with me, you have to act like you want too." Hermione pointed her finger.

"I don't know if I can. It's all very hard to be in that situation for real, let alone act like I am."

Ron shook his head. "And how am I supposed to act if Harry 'breaking up' with my 'sister'?"

Hermione thought about it. "I guess you'd either be angry at him, or act like you're not apart of the whole situation."

"And don't forget we still have one left Date-Cho-Challenge." Harry reminded them. "We can't stop it just because we know Ginny is really Cho."

"Auction my sister off? I can't do that!"

"Do you think I really want to do that?" Harry almost shouted. "I wish we can just fix it like right now, talk to McGonagall, but Ginny won't have it. We'll have to stage the contest so you win Ron… that way she won't be going out with some stranger."

"Me? What about you?"

"If I'm supposed to be with Hermione, it won't look good if I win, will it?" Harry turned red in the face.

Ron muttered. "I wish you had never told me about all this. I don't think I can pretend that someone is my sister that isn't for a very long time."

"Don't worry." Hermione looked at Ron. "She'll be more interested in what Harry's doing, or what I'm doing. She won't pay you a second thought."

"I want to talk to my real sister." Ron said firmly.

"The only way you can is if you win the challenge." Harry spokes softly, trying to cool himself down. "She won't think anything if you win it, but if you just started talking to Ginny, she'll know."

"I hate this." Ron stood up and stalked out the room.

Hermione sighed, and noticed that Lavender was coming into the room. Harry saw the reaction on her face change, and saw Hermione had decided to start up her act then and there. She looked down at her book that she had open before the conversation, and kept giving Harry looks from behind the pages. Harry pretended not to notice, but every now and then watched Lavender for a reaction. Lavender didn't seem to notice. After she had read a bit she waved at the two and headed back upstairs.

"Well I don't know if she noticed anything different, but at least we tried." Harry whispered.

"I guess I have to make it more obvious tomorrow." Hermione looked slightly embarrassed. "Maybe I should get into a fight with Cho about you tonight before bed."

The next morning was the weekend, and at breakfast Harry noticed that Hermione sat next to him, closer than usual, and seemed to be relatively more interested in the things he was saying. Cho sat on the other side of him, and kept glancing at Hermione with a cold look on her face. Apparently Hermione had successfully started a fight with her, which Harry wanted the details to later. Ron sat opposite of them, watching the whole and acting like he had no clue what was going on. Harry was actually proud that Ron held his end up as well as he was.

"Harry," Cho bit her bottom lip, which clashed from her Ginny appearance. "It's the weekend, don't you want to go and do something?" Harry could tell she was trying to shake Hermione from being with them.

Hermione laughed and grabbed Harry's hand. "That's a good idea Ginny. We should all go out, maybe have a picnic."

"I was thinking just the two of us, Hermione. He's my boyfriend after all and I haven't seen much of him since Christmas Holiday."

"Did someone say picnic?" Ron suddenly saw he was needed. "Can I come too?'

"I don't see why not." Harry shrugged. "It was Ginny's idea."

"No…it was not!" Cho looked flustered. "Hermione suggested it, not me."

"Oh. I guess she did." Harry looked at Hermione and smiled. "She always comes up with good ideas."

"Do you really think so, Harry?" Hermione gave her puppy-dog eyes, which even while Harry knew she was acting, was hard to resist.

"I wouldn't say so if I didn't think it." Harry smiled, trying not to blush. He glanced at Ron, who was barely holding in a laugh.

Cho grumbled dryly. "Oh, Hermione you're so great."

"Please, lets not start that again." Hermione muttered.

Harry pretended to look confused at Cho. "Is there something going on between you two?"

Hermione looked away. "Nothing important." Cho kept quiet.

"A picnic it is, then." Ron rolled up his sleeves. "Hey, Cho's out of the hospital."

Ron pointed to entrance to the Great Hall and Ginny had come in with Padma and some other Ravenclaws. They all seemed thrilled that 'Cho' was out and about, and were giggling and chatting away like they generally always did. They sat down at the Ravenclaw table, but Ginny only stayed for a small moment, and made her way towards the Gryffindor table, looking directly at Cho.

"Don't think you can get away with this. I have to pretend to be you, just to get out of the hospital!"

Harry saw that Cho acted like she had no clue what Ginny was talking about. "You're out of your mind, as it is. Are you sure that bump on the head hasn't scrambled something."

"Harry will know the truth eventually." She looked at Harry, and saw there was a slightly playful look in her eye. "He'll know what you did to me."

"What are you talking about?" Harry gave his best confused look. He felt a hand touch his arm. He was surprised momentarily that is was not Cho, but Hermione.

"She made us change places!" Ginny said dramatically. "I can't prove anything, so no one will believe me."

Cho laughed. "What in the world are you talking about?"

Ron stood up. "She's just upset that Harry spent the Holiday at our house, I bet."

Cho nodded. "Really, you need to just accept that Harry is my boy friend, not yours. Get over it."

Ginny's face went red. "You switched places with me, you snake! I know you did, and you know it too. Harry will find out eventually!"

Hermione grabbed Harry's arm tighter. "Live your delusions somewhere else. You're upsetting Harry."

Ginny almost broke character when she saw Hermione was already playing the flirt. She had almost smiled, but caught herself. "Hermione, it's me, Ginny, can't you see that?"

Harry rubbed his forehead and got up, shaking Hermione arm off of him. "I can't stand this. Everyday it's something new with you three. Can't you fight over something else!" He stormed out of the Great Hall, trying to keep a straight face as he did so. When he got out of sight, he sneaked back to the entrance and listen to the rest of the conversation at the door.

"See look, you drove him away!" Hermione shouted at Ginny.

"Hermione, it's her who's doing all this, not me!" Ginny pointed at Cho.

"Don't blame me for your problems!" Cho stood up, facing Ginny.

"I can't believe this. I'll prove this on my own, you stupid bitch!" Ginny stormed off to the Ravenclaw table and sat down angrily. Harry smiled at her performance, and looked toward Hermione and Cho.

"She's right about something, Ginny, you are stressing Harry out." Hermione said.

"What do you mean?"

"He feels so pressured when he's around you. He thinks you're trying to change him, so he's all the time trying to impress you. I told you this last night, but you wouldn't believe me."

"You keep your nose out of our business okay? No one asked you to be Harry's shrink." Cho glanced at Ron. "Aren't you going to say something."

"I'm staying out of this. I'm too close to all three of you to get involved." Ron raised his hands.

"Well, like it or not, I was Harry's friend way before you thought he had feelings for him. You and that dumb girl Cho are tiring him up, and I won't for stand it."

"You just leave him alone." Cho muttered. "I see the way you look at him, so don't play games.

"You're just being paranoid." Hermione stood up. "We've always been close. If you can't take it, that's your problem. Have a pleasant night, Ron." Hermione gathered her things and left the table. When she passed Harry, he grabbed her and pulled her into the shadow he was peeping in.

Harry laughed silently, giving her a silent applause. Hermione took a bow, still red in the face. "I thought I might be over doing it for a second." She whispered.

"No I think you're perfect."

"Ron's doing really well, too." Hermione whispered. "He probably has it worse than all of us…"

"I like how he said he was going to stay out of it."

"Harry, you have to act more affectionate towards me, okay. I know it's tough, but you have to try."

"I don't really know how too." Harry squirmed. "When I'm with Ginny I do it automatically, I don't think about what I'm doing."

"Just be nice, or look at me sometimes, or hold my hand every now and then. Nothing really big, but just something that shows that you're interested." Hermione whispered.

"I'll try." Harry grabbed Hermione's arm. "We should go before we get caught."

They went and gathered a few things in the common room, then made their way outdoors, where the snow was starting to melt. They on some steps that exited the castle and faced Hagrid's hut, eating the snacks they had brought. Hermione put her flirt back on whenever she thought people were watching, but on the most part they were acting themselves.

"I thought it would be harder to act like I was interested in you, but it actually turned out to be really fun." Hermione laughed, keeping a close leaning position on him, just in case someone came by. "Especially when I saw Ginny's face, she almost smiled at us."

"I felt uneasy the first time you grabbed my hand, but after that I was okay."

"Just think how weird it will be when I have to kiss you." Hermione laughed.

Then they both got stiff when they realized the reality of the situation. Eventually Hermione would have to kiss him, and he had to look like he liked it. He couldn't act nervous, they had to actually look like the wanted to be together. He glanced at Hermione's face, who looked as though she also was absorbing the same thoughts he was.

"Maybe we can get away with not kissing." Harry said finally.

"I don't know." Hermione shifted her weight, trying to relax herself. "It shouldn't be a problem. We're friends. We can do this."

"You have more confidence than I do." Harry admitted. "Holding hands is one thing… kissing is another."

Hermione was quiet then asked in a small voice. "Do you think we should, you know, practice?"

"What?"

"You know, so when we have to, we won't look scared or …you know." Hermione's face turned pink.

"I just feel all wrong about this, Hermione." Harry sighed "I'm supposed to be with Ginny. I can pretend to like you and hold hands, whatever, but I can't pretend to kiss you. How can you pretend that, without actually feeling something? I'd feel like I was cheating."

"Then we have to break up." Cho's voice came behind them. Harry and Hermione turned backwards and saw Ginny (in Cho's body) walking towards them. "You shouldn't talk so loud…what if I was Cho…" her voice was shaky.

"Ginny, I…" Harry couldn't think of anything to say.

"We should just break up…until I switch bodies." Ginny looked down. "I'd feel awful too, if I were you and I had to kiss Hermione, um no offense."

Hermione still looked like she was blushing. "So now instead of going out for fake, we're going out for real?"

"It's the only way Harry can do it with out feeling bad." Ginny looked at him. "I can tell. He can't pretend with you, he has to feel it. And he won't let himself feel it if he's committed to me."

"I really don't want to do this, Ginny." Harry looked at her, feeling uneasy in his stomach. "Can't we just tell McGonagall or tell Cho we know and force her to just change you back?"

"Do you think she'll listen?" Ginny muttered. "I love you, and I know you love me. But this is something you have to do, okay."

"I don't want too!"

"This isn't about what you want!" Ginny started to cry. "We can't be together anyway if I'm in this body! I won't allow it, and you couldn't possibly see me the same as before."

"But--"

"I'm breaking up with you, Harry. Hermione, please, take care of him?" Ginny turned around and ran off.

Harry tried to stand up to go after her, but Hermione pulled him back down, looking as if she was going to cry also. Harry felt his face get warm with frustration and he tried to get up again, but Hermione once again pulled him down.

"Stop it, let me go! I have to talk her out of this!"

Hermione, with tears coming down uncontrollable, wrapped her arms around Harry and would not let him go. "I can't… I'm sorry!" Harry squirmed a bit, but felt Hermione's body quiver as she held tighter to him, his shoulder getting wet from her tears. "Just stop it, Harry! I know you love her, but you can't be with her, okay? You just can't right now!"

Harry gave up and fell into her embrace. He held back the lump in his throat that was starting to swell. Ginny had made up her mind, he knew that now. When she broke up with him, it was not just her saying so, she meant it. And he knew Hermione must have known, she knew Ginny to well. By the way she was holding him, he felt that she was expressing the emotions that he was feeling, as if Ginny had broken up with both of them. She knew somehow…even before he did.

When he hugged her in return, he let his feelings out, letting her console him. In actuality they were both comforting each other, as Harry realized Hermione felt slightly responsible. She kept saying muffled on his chest: "I'm so sorry Harry, I'm so sorry!" Despite himself, Harry cried.


	8. Chapter 8

Harry Potter and the Unicorn's Horn

by

Glee-chan

This is a fan fiction based on the J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe. I do not take claim to own any characters, places, and magical objects that are not original. Most characters are the property of Rowling, and I do not intend to make money off of this fan fiction, merely just writing for fun. I don't have a million dollars to fork over, thus does not want any legal action to be taken. The events in this story take place in a Book 6 alternate timeline

Chapter Eight

The rest of the day was tough, Harry and Hermione had wore themselves out emotionally during lunch, and by evening they were ready for bed. Thankfully they only saw Cho a couple of times, and Cho was avoiding Hermione after their fight at Breakfast. Hermione went to bed early, which Harry thought was a good idea and did so himself. He was awaken later by Ron, as someone in the common room had told him that Hermione looked like she had been crying and that Harry did as well.

Harry explained the whole situation, emotionally drained. After hearing what had happened, Ron understood, which Harry was relieved. He did not feel like going into how he felt emotionally or how Hermione felt at that matter. Ron apologized for his sister breaking up with him, as if he could do such a thing, but Harry knew that Ron needed to express how he felt in some way.

The next morning Harry met Hermione in the common room, she had washed up, but still looked like she had cried recently. Harry knew that he must look depressed, but he tired to shake it off. When Cho came down stairs she noticed almost at once that Hermione had been crying, and that they were sitting far to close to each other.

"What's going on?" She asked tenderly.

Hermione looked at Cho with disgust. "Nothing."

"You're still angry with me for yesterday?" Cho shouted. "I can't believe this!"

"You practically accused me of stealing your boyfriend." Harry could tell that Hermione suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be acting.

"She did what?" Harry put on his game face.

"Oh, I did not accuse her of anything." Cho looked nervous. "I just said that I thought she was getting to close to you."

"Too close?" Harry looked at Hermione, then at Cho. He felt as if he was channeling some of his real frustration into what he was saying. "She was there for me yesterday when I was upset about you fighting with Cho again. I don't remember you being there at all."

"You were upset? Harry I'm really sorry, but you know how I feel about that girl. She wants you to herself, and now Hermione's doing the same thing, and you don't even see it!"

Ron came down stairs and saw the scene. He looked at Harry then at Cho, then looked uncomfortable. "Ginny, Hermione is Harry's friend…"

"Don't you stand up for her too, Ron. Didn't you see her yesterday, holding his hand?"

"I was holding his hand because I knew how upset he gets when you and Cho fight about him." Hermione looked down, speaking softly.

"Don't give me that, you're trying to take him from me, just like Gin-err- Cho is."

Harry saw Ron's faces sour when he heard Cho almost slip up. Harry hoped Ron would not point out he caught it, and ruin everything. Instead Ron said something ingenious. "Ginny, as much as I love you, I have to tell you the only one driving Harry away from you is you. All this jealousy isn't good."

Harry decided to capitalize on that. Ron had given him an opening, and he sure as hell was going to take it. "You're right Ron. I can't be with you if you think I'm going to runoff with some girl every five minutes. It's just too much." He looked at Ron. "I'm sorry, man."

"It's okay." Ron said with a stiff lip.

"Ginny, I--"

"Don't say it, okay, please, don't Give me one more chance. I swear I won't be jealous anymore, honest!" Cho scrambled, almost shouting. Her face looked as though she were going to cry at any moment.

Hermione stood up and started to walk out of the room. Harry made an effort to look at her, breaking eye contact with Cho. That little eye moment went along way. Cho got jealous again, just by the look on her face.

"I know it's your fault!" Cho pushed Hermione against the wall and stormed out the common room.

After Cho left, Hermione stopped and look at Harry. A bunch of Gryffindors had seen their show. Rumors would be spread through out the school that Harry and Ginny had broke up. Harry saw that Hermione then place a small smile on her face, to indicated to the on-lookers that she was not that sad that 'Ginny' had been dumped. Ron played his part well and slapped his hand on Harry's back, giving him a "Sorry it had to come to that" look.

By lunch the whole school was aware of the soup-opera. Harry tragically had to break up with Ginny because she was over-protective and jealous, and Hermione seemed as though she were trying to capitalize on Harry's new single position. To Harry's surprise, Hermione was not the only one that started showing interest in him. Parvati gave him flirtatious smiles every so often and Loony Luna seemed to be brushing her hair more often.

Harry could barely look at Ginny (the real one) however. It hurt that he was dumped, even if it was because she loved him. He found himself actually partly excepting the fake flirtations he was getting from Hermione, because it made him feel better. Cho on the other hand was furious, and every time she saw Hermione she shouted at her.

One occasion Ginny had confronted Cho, yelling about how Harry was not even seeing her anymore, so there was no reason why they could not switch back, but Cho acted like she had no clue what Ginny was talking about. Ginny had left her shouted: "You ruined my life, stealing my body and my boyfriend, now you messed that up too!" Hermione quickly exploited the situation and shouted at both of them, while pulling Harry way, stating that they need to get lives and stop messing with Harry's.

There was a week of this until Harry realized that he had to start looking more serious about Hermione, and start planning the next Date-Cho-Challenge. Ron had already did the Wizards Chest Challenge, so Harry knew that Ron could not win that way. He thought he might get some ideas on going to Hogsmeade that weekend. Ron and Lavender had planned a date (more Lavender than Ron) and Hermione some how talked Lavender into letting her and Harry tag along. Harry thought that perhaps Hermione had told Lavender that she wanted to go out with Harry and couldn't think of any other way of going about it. Lavender, glad that Hermione was interested in someone else, agreed on the double date.

That Saturday, the school was allowed to go to Hogsmeade, and Harry, Hermione, Ron and Lavender decided to go to Madam Paddifoot's. Harry really had nothing to do with decision on where to be, for being in that place reminded him of the awkward date he had with Cho Chang on Valentine's day the previous school year. He figured it was Lavender who had chosen to come there, but when they entered, he found out it was Hermione's idea.

The place was just as small as he remembered it, most tables only seated two people in a romantic setting. He glanced about seeing other couples holding hands and kissing. Lavender pulled Ron to a table in the back and waved to Hermione, as if they were accomplices in some secret mission. Hermione waved back and noticed for Harry to sit with her at the other corner of the shop.

"Hermione, just why did you decide to come here of all places?" Harry lean over the small table and whispered to her.

"It's a private place and we can talk about anything, Harry. Plus people seeing us come in and out will automatically assume that you and I are engaged in romantic things."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense."

"Um, I also plan on kissing you here, when Lavender looks this direction. She's the biggest gossip in the school so a show for her should go along way." Hermione looked slightly pink.

"Gee, you sure know how to romance a guy." Harry joked, but felt just as nervous as she looked.

Hermione swallowed. "Just so you know, I'm not going to hold back, okay."

"Hold back?"

Hermione's grew even more pinker. "In order to make it look real I have to…you know, really get into it."

Harry started breathing heavy. "Maybe you shouldn't have told me you were going to kiss me in the first place. Now I'm nervous."

"If I just spontaneously kissed you, wouldn't you freak out?"

"I don't know."

Hermione placed her hands on the tiny table, and grabbed his. "I'm nervous." She said after a while. "We have to calm down…let's not think about it, and just try and enjoy ourselves for a while okay."

"We can try at least." Harry gave her a smile.

He glanced out the window and saw Ginny walking pass, giving them a look, then continuing on. Harry felt his stomach yelp. Every time he saw her, he thought his heart was going to break all over again. It seemed to be worse the more time passed from when she broke up with him. Hermione turned and caught what he was looking at just as Ginny walked out of view and saw Harry's hurt face.

"Harry. Even if we fix Ginny's problem, will you be able to … you know, forgive her?"

"What do you mean?" Harry never thought of what she was talking about before. Forgive Ginny? He had just felt that he was the one at fault because he had to flirt with Hermione and all that, thus forcing Ginny to break up with him.

"She broke your heart Harry. If we get things back to normal, things won't be the same as they were. How can you forgive her for putting your through all this?"

"I still don't understand Hermione."

"She didn't give you a choice, she just broke up with you. Then she forced you to see someone else literally after your heart was ripped out. That's pretty harsh."

The things Hermione said rang true, he suddenly did not view himself at fault for the break up, for the most part, but he still could not feel anything but sadness when he thought of Ginny. He could not even get angry at her. "I guess so. I don't know what will happen. I'm sorry that she forced you to go out with me also."

"Forced?"

"Well, she really never asked you if you wanted to pretend to go out with me, then when we… b-broke up…. she pretty much told you to be my girlfriend for real."

"I…I never thought of it like that."

They looked at each other with sadness on each other's faces. It seemed as though they were in the same boat. For a week now they had been pretending to be close, while all the time they had actually been getting closer, talking more and more about their feelings. Harry wondered if something similar would happen when they kissed. That they would pretend to kiss, and later actually want to kiss. The thought was a strange one, as he knew when he kissed Hermione, their friendship would change completely, fake kiss or not.

Before Harry could think things over and stop himself, he found that he had leaned over the small table, giving Hermione a light kiss on her cheek. Her cheek warmed almost instantly on his lips. When he pulled back he wondered what made him do such a thing. Hermione, opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. Harry suddenly felt embarrassed.

"I don't know what made me do that." he quickly said.

"Probably the same thing that's making me do this." Hermione leaned forward and kissed Harry. When Hermione had told him before that she was not going to hold back, Harry now knew what she meant. He felt that same rush, that tingling rush, that he felt when Ginny first kissed him, except when Hermione kissed him, there was more emotion behind it, as if her kiss was an extension of how she had been consoling him for the past week.

When Hermione sat back down they both looked at each other as if they had just met each other. "Wow." Harry heard her whisper to herself.

"What?" Harry glanced down, wondering if he did something wrong.

"Oh…no, uh.. I mean…well…that wasn't a pretend kiss, Harry." Hermione touched her lips with her fingers. "What I mean is…I didn't expect to…um…enjoy it."

"Me either." Harry looked at her. "Does that make me an awful person?"

"I don't know." Hermione looked down. "I don't think so. Everything that's happened to you up till this point you didn't chose." She paused. "Harry, you chose to kiss me before, didn't you."

"I…err…I guess I did."

"Do you, um, well…have feelings for me. Or did you do it to feel better about yourself?"

Harry thought about it. "I don't know why I did it. I looked at you, and we were both sad, and I just wanted thank you for being there for me, and I wanted to make you feel better."

"Harry." Hermione blushed. "We're…we're just supposed to pretend to like each other…"

"I know." Harry blinked. He wondered she was mad at him now.

"I'm supposed to know that too." Hermione spoke after a while. She sat back in her chair and placed her face in her hands. "What are we going to do? We weren't pretending. This whole time we were pretending to be pretending, but all the while we where opening up to each other."

"We really didn't have a choice, though. We were sort of placed in this situation."

Hermione swallowed. "Harry this is awful. I look at you right now and the only thing I want to do is kiss you again. I want to just forget about everything and really be with you. I'm a horrible friend, aren't I?"

"No. The horrible friend is the one that put you in a situation where something like this could happen."

Hermione leaned on the table resting her head on Harry's hands. "Harry? Do you want to kiss me?"

"I… If I answer that, it'll only be harder for us to cope."

Hermione looked up, her lips quivers as if she wanted just to jump forward and kiss him. "We're victims of a passion, aren't we? Do you think we would feel this way if we weren't put in this predicament?"

"I don't know. I never thought about you this way before."

"In what way are you thinking about me?" Hermione raised her eyebrows then she lowered them. "Damn it. No, don't answer that. We have to control ourselves. It's just the situation we're in, right? Not really our feelings."

"Right. I'm not really attracted to you. I'm just…feeling close to you because I'm upset?" Harry sounded unconvincing.

"And I don't have any feelings for you. I just feel sorry for you and just have taken it too far." Hermione sounded equally unconvincing.

Harry looked at her, feeling odd. "Now what do we do. We can't stopped 'pretending' now. We're in the middle of a plan."

"I don't know Harry. If I kiss you again, I don't know what will happen."

Lavender suddenly strolled up to them, winking. "I see you two are getting along fine."

"I…err…great." Harry looked embarrassed.

"Are you leaving?" Hermione ignored the comment.

"No, I'm getting some tea for Ron and me." Lavender looked at Harry. "You're just a ladies man, aren't you?"

"I didn't plan on it." Harry muttered, and watch Lavender giggle as she walked away.

Ron joined them for a few moments while Lavender was off. "That girl is crazy. She was all up on me back there, did you see it?"

Harry noticed Ron looked haggard, with lipstick all over him. He gave a small laugh. "Not really Ron, Hermione and I have been busy."

"Really? I saw you two kiss. I think Lavender bought it. It looked real convincing."

Hermione blushed. "It felt convincing too."

Ron looked at the both of them. "Don't tell me that you two are--"

"NO!" Both of the said at once.

"We're just confused because of all the acting, you know." Hermione said quickly.

"We're too good of friends to think of each other that way." Harry also said quickly.

Ron shrugged. "I don't blame you if you two do get together, after what Cho and Ginny has put you through."

"It's not an option, Ron." Harry muttered. "We've decided."

"Sure you say that now. Oh, Lavender's coming back, I better go to our table." Ron left, almost skipping to his table, leaving Hermione and Harry alone again.

"It's not an option." Hermione repeated after a couple of minutes.

At the moment, Cho (in Ginny's body) ran in, and made her way towards Harry's and Hermione's table. She reached her hand back, and slapped Hermione with such a force that Hermione fell out of her chair.

"You think you've won, but you haven't, I'll show you!" Cho shouted.

Hermione stood up, rubbing her face, but Cho pulled something out of her pocket and ran back out the shop. "What was that all about?"

Harry and Hermione would find out later that day. On returning back to Hogwarts and going into the common room, Ron and Lavender went into a shadowed area to make out some more. Harry and Hermione decided to sit by the fireplace, and try not to think about each other. That was when Harry was suddenly attacked by Cho, planting him with a huge kiss. Harry squirmed, and Hermione quickly pulled the red head off of him.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" Hermione shouted.

"It's me, Hermione!"

"What?"

"Me, Ginny. Cho found me in Hogsmeade and just switched bodies back. I don't know why but she just did it on her own!"

Hermione still looked defensive. "How can we be sure?"

Ginny then went into elaborate details about her life, which convinced the both of them. Her excitement even made Ron stop making out for a few moments, but only for a moment as Lavender attacked him again. Then Ginny told them the story of how Cho had found her in Three Broomsticks and slapped her hand while holding a small ball. Then she told them that she was standing look at Cho's face, not her own. Cho afterwards ran out of the shop, saying she was going to find Harry. But by the time Cho had left, Harry and Hermione had come back to the school.

"I'm so happy for you Ginny." Hermione smiled. "It must be great to have your body back."

"It is. Not just my body, but my life!" She looked at Harry. "And maybe a boyfriend?"

Harry was a bit overwhelmed by the whole situation. But he was still feeling to hurt to just pretend that the last week or more did not happen. "Don't take this the wrong way, Ginny, but I need some time."

Ginny smiled faded. "Time? You had a whole week…"

"It's not that simple." Harry looked down at his feet.

Hermione spoke for him, which Harry was surprised she did. "You really hurt him you know. Breaking up with him like that. I know you had good intentions, but he really was in pain."

"I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you, I promise!" Ginny looked at Harry.

"Ginny. You made Harry and me pretend to feel things for each other." Hermione looked embarrassed. "Sometimes when you pretend to long, real feelings start to happen."

"What are you saying?" Ginny narrowed her eyes at Hermione. "Are you saying that you and Harry are… are an item now?"

"No." Harry muttered. "But we did get close. Maybe a little too close. It's just a confusing situation."

"I should have realized." Ginny turned white. "Do you even love me at all Harry?"

"I do, but…"

"You have a funny way of showing it."

"Don't be so hard on him."

"And you! Some friend you are! You're supposed to look out for Harry, not make-out!"

"You don't have any right to be angry!" Hermione looked slightly angry. "We never asked to be put in that situation, remember. It's a hard thing to ask someone to pretend to love them, to kiss them and not feel anything. You think we wanted to do this? No, it was all your idea. And now when your back to your normal self you just expect things to be the same as there were, never mind the nights of crying and heartache. Some friend I am? No, some friend you are!"

Hermione stormed out of the common room, passing Ron and Lavender and made her way up to the girls dormitory. Ginny looked slightly sorry for over reacting, but still looked upset. She looked at Harry, and sat down in the seat Hermione had been sitting in, facing him.

"Maybe I made some wrong choices. But you did too." Ginny looked down.

"You might be right on that." Harry said softly.

"Harry. I… I didn't mean to loose my temper like that. I just have an angry streak."

"I know."

"If you need time, then okay." Ginny said after awhile. "But don't you think I should be allowed to win you back?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we start over. And when you feel comfortable, we can be together again." Ginny looked at the locket Harry had bought her for Christmas. "I want to kiss you goodnight, is that okay?"

Harry looked at her, wanting more than ever to forget the past week. But Hermione's kiss still lingered on his lips, and the thought of kissing two girls in the same day didn't seem right. He wondered how he could love Ginny, and feel something towards Hermione when they kissed at the same time. Did that make him a strange pervert or something, or was there something else, something he could not explain?

Before Harry could answer her, he saw Hermione walked back down slowly down the stairs, having already changed into her pajamas. She made her way towards the two of them and sat down near the fire. She looked at Ginny and smiled. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"It's okay. I think everyone here did something wrong." Ginny looked at Harry and Hermione, then down at herself.

"I think it's only fair to tell you, Ginny, that Harry and I kissed today, and it brought up some confusing thoughts from the both of us." Hermione looked into the fire. "We decided that the feelings weren't real, that they were artificial because we were placed in an artificial relationship."

"You still feel guilty though." Ginny looked at both of them.

"I wouldn't have felt guilty if I didn't like it." Hermione spoke softly.

"Me too." Harry said in a small voice.

"But we decided after we kissed that it was just our situation, that we really wouldn't feel that way towards each other, other wise."

Ginny was silent for a while. "Are you confused now? Do you think you…you have feelings for him now?"

"To be honest, I don't know." Hermione looked away from the fire. "But I know this. He loves you. While he might be confused right now, the only thing he can think about is you. I would be fooling myself if I ignored it. All week he's been heartbroken because you broke up with him."

"Harry, is that true?"

"I…well…see the thing is…"

"It is. He reached out to me, and I felt sorry for him. We got so close because of that. Then when we kissed it was out of those feelings that made it so strong. I don't know if there is any other feelings there, and I don't think we'll ever know, because I don't want to explore them. He belongs with you."

Ginny went over to Hermione and gave her a hug. "I'm sorry I put you through that."

"You should be hugging him. He won't admit it, because he got hurt, but he still wants to be with you."

"Hermione." Harry felt embarrassed.

"Is that true Harry?" Ginny looked hopeful. "I know it's been hell, but do you still want to be with me?"

"I…well you know I do." Harry spoke in a small voice. "I'm just--"

But before Harry could finish, Ginny leaped into Harry's lap unexpectedly and planted a kiss on him. "I'm skipping the waiting part if that's okay with you. The past is the past. Let forget it and move on"

Harry was surprised on how quick things seemed to resolved between him and Ginny. It was not but a day before everything went back to normal. It almost was like the whole Cho body-switch thing never happened, minus the part where Harry wondered in the back of his mind what his true feelings were for Hermione. He had decided to himself that he would never know, that Hermione pretty much had made up both of their minds when she practically put him back together with Ginny.

Despite feeling a tad bit awkward around each other Harry and Hermione's previous relationship had returned back to how it had been. Only that now both were trying to avoid Ron as he was practically making out with Lavender nearly every time they saw him. Because of this Parvati tended to spend more time with the two, as she also did not want to hang around Lavender when she was groping all over Ron. Since Ron was gone most of the time, Harry was having trouble coming up with the final Date-Cho-Challenge.

Neither Ginny, nor Hermione had come up with good ideas. Harry guessed that was because there was a slight conflict with them over him. While they were civil and were friendly to each other on the most parts, Ginny seemed to cling more on him whenever Hermione was around. Harry could not be sure, but he thought that they had a heart-to-heart and Hermione must of said something that made Ginny feel uncomfortable.

Harry then started spending more time with Parvati, as she was once before a neutral party, and on the most part, lonely from her best friend being... occupied. He had asked her opinions on the Cho Challenge, any ideas that allowed him to lose fairly, but didn't look like he was trying to lose on purpose. She also couldn't think of anything that worked, stating quite correctly that she didn't know him as well as other people did.

But as the time grew near for the challenge, the professors where pressing on him to think of something more exciting than before, and to offer yet another prize along with going out with Cho. Harry didn't have time to think of a way for him to lose, and just had to think of a contest that was just plain exciting. However an idea popped in his head when he saw Cho argue with Ginny and Hermione one day.

Hermione had gotten fed up during the fight, largely Cho and Ginny and the body switching issue, and shouted at both of them: " All you two is fight. It's a wonder that you two don't slug it out in a dirt arena!"

Thus Harry's brilliant plan was born. The basic idea was simple - any 6th and 7th year student who wanted to compete could, and they would do so on the Quidditch Pitch. The object of this contest would be to use any means necessary to obtain one of three objects. Then, Cho would choose one of the three winners as her final date. As the days went on Harry's idea got more elaborate. After asking Madame Hooch if he could use the Quidditch pitch for such a challenge, Harry went about the school, asking Professors if they would like to donate any magical items for his contest.

The first Professor to volunteer an item was oddly enough Professor Flitwick. He had been holding on to a wish ring - a ring that would grant only one wish to it's owner, as long as that wish had nothing to do with changing life cycles (such as raising the dead or becoming immortal) or more wishes. Flitwick explained that he had not used it because he never could think of anything good enough to wish for. It was only one wish, and of course one wanted to make that wish count.

Professor Slughorn wanted to give Harry his second item, on hearing that Flitwick gave such a highly sought after gift. He had already brewed a good amount of Felix Felicis potion for class demonstrations, but still had enough left over to fill a small bottle. An item that offered true good luck for a short amount of time would be a huge success, and Harry thanked him.

The last item Harry got was from Hagrid. The game-keeper and Magical Beasts professor had many magical items from animals that Harry wondered why Hagrid had not cashed in some of his things to make a small fortune. But Hagrid seemed to like the items themselves rather than money, so when deciding what to give Harry it was nearly an all night process. However in the end Hagrid parted with one of his twenty Unicorn Horns. While on its own it didn't do much, when mixed with various potions, the Unicorn Horn could do many things. Hagrid gave a few examples as: freezing or slowing down time, transportation across great distances instantly, go back into the past to correct a mistake, healing major medical diseases, and many others, which were all impressive but Harry couldn't remember.

When Harry posted up his Anything-Goes-Magical-Dueling-For-Cho-Chang-and-Magical-Objects-Challenge the whole school erupted with excitement. Even Ron stopped making out to read the stipulations of the contest, and the items the Professors had donated. Nearly everyone wanted to compete, but as the rules stated, only 6th and 7th years were eligible. When Madame Pomfrey read the announcement, she almost instantly went to the hospital wing and started preparing for injuries, which made Harry slightly proud in a way.

But there was still the fact of Harry losing. In the common room, Harry tried to disgust the problem with Ron, Hermione, or Ginny, but Ron was busy with Lavender, and Ginny only wanted to cuddle him - which Hermione never stuck around for, so when Ginny went to bed, Harry was stuck trying to figure out something on his own. He sat in his usual place by the fire place and thought over every possibility over and over.

"Good evening, Harry." Parvati's voice suddenly startled him from his thoughts.

Harry looked from the fire to discover she had come down the dormitory stairs and had taken the arm chair facing him near the fireplace. "Oh. Hello Parvati."

"I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay." Harry shrugged. "Why aren't you asleep?"

"Um…" Parvati blushed slightly. "Let's just say it's too nosy up there at the moment." Harry did not know what that meant but decided it would be safe not to ask. "Still trying to figure out how to lose, huh?"

"Pretty much."

"I don't think I'd want to after seeing what items you're posting up. Even if I had to date Cho, wouldn't one of those things be worth it?"

"Of course, but I am currently seeing someone." Harry smiled. "Not like Ginny's going to be happy I tried my best to win a date with another girl."

Parvati gave a cold look. "She didn't mind telling you to make out with your best friend." Harry stiffened and got slightly upset over that comment. Parvati seemed to notice this and shook off her previous statement. "I'm sorry. Sensitive subject, none of my business."

"No, you're not completely off the mark, but I've decided to just forget about that. Everyone makes mistakes you know."

"I guess so." Parvati still looked unimpressed. "All I know is if I had a good boyfriend like you, I wouldn't be asking Lavender to kiss all over you."

"From what I've seen lately, she doesn't have time to add another person to her make-out list. Ron can barely get a breath in."

"You're right about that." Parvati's nose wrinkled up as if she were disgusted. "The worst part is I have to hear about it from her. About how good of a kisser he is, and how he touches her just the right way…"

"Um, thanks for the visual, Parvati."

"Welcome to my world." Parvati still had that sick look on her face. "If you were me for a day you might puke."

Harry laughed then suddenly it hit Harry like the Whomping Willow. If he were her… The idea seemed to simple - to easy, why hadn't he thought about it before. "Parvati, are you entering into the last Date-Cho-Challenge?"

"Who isn't? A shame I don't have much chance to win, but I'm going to try at least."

"Would you mind hearing me out on something I just thought of. It's a crazy idea, and if you don't want to go along with it, then I'll understand." Harry leaned forward in his chair.

Parvati's face looked interested, but skeptical. "Okay."

"My Polyjuice Potion is complete, it was finished the end of last week."

"That's nice. Mines no where near done, and if it was it probably would explode on me. But what does that have to do with anything?"

Harry wondered how girls could be smart in some areas and not so much in others. "I'm asking you if you wouldn't mind using the Polyjuice potion with me… we switch places for 2 hours and 30 minutes and…

"Polyjuice Potion lasts only an hour…"

"I…err… I've modified mine to last longer… to um… give myself more of a challenge in the class."

"I hate you."

"Anyway, the point I WAS trying to make is that I have 2 hour and 30 minute potion, and I want to switch places with you. That way if I win one of the items, Cho will think I'm you and will look me over when choosing a date."

Parvati upper lip raised slightly. "I see how this helps you, but what about me?"

Harry's mind raced. "Um.. well people will think you're me, so maybe some will stay out of your way?" Harry thought that excuse sounded stupid. If anything people would be gunning for her, but when he said it like that, Parvati seemed to believe him. She, like everyone else, believed he was special and that everyone liked him. She wouldn't know how his life was until she lived it, that was for sure.

"Okay." Parvati also leaned forward in her chair. "Say we do this… You're bigger than me."

"Um…yeah?"

"Meaning that I can change into your clothes easily, transform into you and not see anything."

"What's the point?"

Parvati looked at him as if boys were stupid, probably the same look he had given her moments ago. "The point is that since I'm small, you'll have to be naked when you drink the Polyjuice, just so you can shrink and get in my clothes."

Harry scratched the back of his head, wondering if he was having a Ron moment. He really did not seem to understand why this would be a problem. "So what? We can do it in the Gryffindor locker room, near the Quidditch pitch. Not like you'll see me, if that's that you're worried about."

"No you idiot, when you change, you'll see ME naked, only it'll be you as me."

Harry suddenly got what she was going at. He could see that this would be a problem for her, even though he didn't see it as a problem for him. It would be different if he saw her naked, but him as her naked it would just be weird for him, not whatever she thought he might be thinking. Still he could tell she was not going to go along with the idea if he was going to be checking her how in the buff.

"How about this. I put a blindfold on, and you dress me?" Harry thought that would be extremely humiliating, having a girl dress him. But then again dressing up as a girl might be even worse.

"Fine, I guess that will do." Parvati smiled. "This might actually be a little fun."

Harry gave a fake smile. "You like the idea of pulling one over on everyone?"

"No, I like the idea of dressing you up. Oh, speaking of which, I'll see you later." She jumped out of her armchair and started for the stairs.

"Hey, promise you tell no one until after the Tournament is over, okay. It'll not be a surprise if everyone knows about it."

"I won't, I won't." She ran up the stairs.

As she was running up, Harry saw Hermione coming, almost being plowed over. "Excuse you…" She muttered and made her way down towards Harry, sitting in the chair where Parvati was sitting moments ago. She gave Harry a strange look, as if she where reading him, then narrowed her eyes. "You found a way to lose, haven't you?"

"Yes. But I don't want anyone to know about it." Harry said. Normally he would tell Hermione, but this changing into a girl business was embarrassing. He really wouldn't know the right way to explain it, other than he would do anything to win one of his items but not date Cho.

"You can tell Parvati, but not me?"

"She's part of the plan." Harry felt his face warm slightly. "It's really embarrassing, and I'd die if you laughed at me for it."

"Alright." Hermione looked disappointed but was not going to press the matter.


	9. Chapter 9

Harry Potter and the Unicorn's Horn

by

Glee-chan

This is a fan fiction based on the J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe. I do not take claim to own any characters, places, and magical objects that are not original. Most characters are the property of Rowling, and I do not intend to make money off of this fan fiction, merely just writing for fun. I don't have a million dollars to fork over, thus does not want any legal action to be taken. The events in this story take place in a Book 6 alternate timeline

Chapter Nine

The next morning everyone was buzzing about the Anything-Goes-Magical-Dueling-For-Cho-Chang-and-Magical-Objects-Challenge, which was only two days away. Thankfully Lavender and Ron were not making out over breakfast, and sat on opposite sides of the table. Lavender kept making eyes at him, and he at her, however. Harry found himself seating in the middle of Ginny and Hermione, which gave him a slight miserable feeling, as they both seemed to be not speaking to each other again.

"I don't know how you manage to get that wishing ring, Harry." Ron smiled. "You can bet I'm going for that!"

Lavender, who was beside Hermione, gave a fake pouted. "You just want to win a date with Cho Chang don't you Won-Won!"

Ron's ears turned pink, as everyone near by snickered. "Why would I want that? You see how obsessed she gets with people she likes. First Cedric, now Harry. What if she fancy's me next? I'll be in hell!"

"I know a way to make you feel like you're in heaven!" Lavender cooed.

Harry shifted his weight. "As enlightening as this conversation is going, maybe we can talk about something else?"

"Yes, for the love of God, yes." Hermione breathed.

"So, how did you come about getting those magical items for the tournament?" Ginny leaned on him slightly.

Harry told the story of how the professors volunteered items, and that it really was hardly any trouble at all. By the time he had ended his story, Parvati had joined the rest of them for breakfast, giggling slightly when she saw Harry. Harry had an idea on why she was giggling, but kept it to himself.

"So how do you plan on losing this one, eh Harry?" Ron pulled his hand away from Lavender, who had somehow managed to grab it when Harry was not looking.

"I was wondering the exact same thing, Ron" Hermione smirked, looking at Harry. "But apparently it's a secret."

Ginny looked surprised. "A secret? How come?"

"He told me last night it'd be embarrassing for him to tell me."

Parvati looked down at her plate and said nothing. Harry squirmed in his seat. "All you need to know is that Cho will not be picking me as her date, whether I win an item or not."

"Just why the bloody hell do you think that? If you win one, she'll pick you for sure." Ron stuffed some bacon in his mouth. As uncouth as he was, Lavender sighed an infatuated sigh in his direction.

"I …err…forget it alright."

Hermione made matters worse. "Apparently he and Parvati have something planned."

Harry wish he could hide in his invisibility cloak, and saw by the look on Parvati's face that she probably wouldn't have minded hiding as well. Ginny, as well as Ron and Lavender, all looked at Parvati, who continued to be fascinated with her scrambled eggs.

"Just what do you have planned, Parvati?" Ginny asked.

"I…he asked me not to say…. until after the tournament." Parvati looked up at Ginny for a split second then back down at her plate.

Ginny looked at Harry again. "Why won't you tell me?"

"I…err… look, I don't want you to laugh at me okay. You'll know two days from now."

But Harry was hounded for the rest of the day, and the next day after that. The day after that was the day of the actual challenge, so no one had time to ask him questions about what his secret plan was. Everyone he knew was going to compete, Hermione and Ginny included. Adding the items just added to the over all excitement of the contest, Harry could see that.

As arranged, Harry met Parvati out side the Gryffindor locker room, while most of the students in the school were heading on the Quidditch pitch. Harry wore the blind fold over his head like a headband so he wouldn't forget to wear it when he changed into Parvati. She held a bag, which Harry assumed was an outfit she wanted him to wear. This upset him because he realized that the one she was currently wearing she was not going to let him wear - sensible pants and shirt.

"Okay take off your clothes and let me change into them." Parvati's voice echoed.

"Err…."

"I'll be behind the lockers, okay." Parvati started to go, then she stopped. She squinted and pulled one of her hairs out of her head and handed it to him. "For the Polyjuice." After which she yanked one of his hairs out, then made her way behind the lockers and hummed so Harry knew she was staying put.

Harry swallowed and took off all his clothes, feeling strangely different then he normally did with his Quidditch team. Once completely naked, Harry placed Parvati's hair into his Polyjuice cup, then with his free hand pulled down the blind fold. Knowing from previous experiences how awful the stuff taste, let alone made him feel, Harry closed his eyes with in the blind fold and drank all the contents of the cup. Almost at once he felt his stomach jump and turn, his body feel weak. He stumbled, reaching for a wall to keep his balance as he though he would throw up. After a few moments of pain, Harry felt the affect wear off. He stood up and felt his body, then realized he just accidentally groped a girls breast. It had worked.

"Parvati." Harry said, but noticed his voice had changed for the most part into Parvati's

He heard her stop humming and her footsteps walk toward him, then a gasp, as he was sure that looking at him as herself had to be a strange sight. "It worked, alright." She muttered. "I didn't know my butt looked like that."

"Parvati." Harry said, but it came out as a girlish whimper. "It's freezing cold and I'm standing here naked."

"Oh… Right, sorry."

Harry heard Parvati undressing, then placing Harry's clothes on herself. Then he heard her rummage through her bag, pulling items out. Within moments she was groping at him, pulling him closer and placing something over his chest that felt restrictive.

"What's that you're putting on me?"

"A bra, stupid. You're a girl now, and more to the point, you're me. Try to remember that."

Harry felt his face grow warmer, but felt even more embarrassed as Parvati started placing underwear on him (which he was all to sure it was not boys underwear) then a short sleeve shirt, and lastly a skirt.

"What the hell? You couldn't give me pants could you?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Parvati pulled off his blind fold. "Ah, see, you're cute."

"Thanks a lot," Harry said dryly. "where your shoes at?" Harry noticed how baggy and frumpy his clothes looked on her.

"Over there." Parvati added Harry's hair to her Polyjuice potion. "Is it…it is dreadful?"

Harry nodded. "It's the worse thing you'll ever taste. Try to get it all down." He started tying Parvati's shoes on his feet.

Harry looked himself over in the mirror, keeping near Parvati for when she drank the Polyjuice. He looked just like her, well her with glasses or like Parvati's triplet instead of a twin. His hair was not styled yet, but he figured a girl like Parvati would play with it before they went out to the Quidditch pitch.

Parvati took a drink but did not drink but half of the potion, before dropping the cup and gagging. She started to fall backwards, which Harry quickly ran behind her and kept her on her feet. She suddenly got taller and heavier and Harry then realized that while in Parvati's body, his strength had lessen to the amount of strength she had. When she had finished she looked at herself in the mirror and frowned.

"I..I can barely see anything!"

Harry blinked, then realized he still had his glasses on. He pulled them off and handed them to her, and realized his eye sight jumped up and improved almost immediately. He looked up at Parvati and it felt as though he was looking in a mirror, well a strange one. "We should have two hours and 30 minutes, but you didn't drink all of yours so you might change back before I do."

"I couldn't help it." Harry heard his own voice come from her. "Akk. This is weird. Here, before we go out, let me fix your hair."

After priming, Harry and Parvati walked to the Quidditch pitch, along side the rest of the school. He noticed the grades that where not involved were in the stands watching them. Harry pulled out his wand, then realized that it was still his not Parvati's He nudged his accomplice and notion to his wand.

"Yeah so what."

"We have to trade wands."

"Oh right!"

They traded wands just as Ginny came up. As usually she wrapped her arms around Harry, but this time it was Parvati. Harry saw Parvati stiffen and almost shake Ginny off before she realized she was supposed to be Harry.

"Are you going to tell me now your secret plan?"

"Ummm….I…"

"Because the tournament is going to start and you did promise you'd tell me today."

"I'll tell you later, when this is over."

"Is there anything I can do to change your mind?" Ginny licked Parvati's ear lobe.

"Akk!! Ginny um…okay look, I'm not Harry, she is."

Ginny looked at Parvati then at Harry, looking perplexed. "What's going on?"

Harry sighed. "Try not to say anything, but Parvati and I took the Polyjuice Potion we've been making. That way if I win, Cho won't chose me." He whispered.

Ginny face looked as if she finally realized the situation, and her mouth took the shape of an "oh". She looked at Parvati, a bit red in the face. "Sorry."

"It's okay." Parvati looked slightly shaken from the licking. "It's not the first time that's happen to me." Both Harry and Ginny gave her a bizarre stare, but she didn't volunteer any more information so they let it go.

Ginny walked passed Parvati and reached grabbing Harry's hand. "Good luck okay." She gave him a small kiss and ran off to some other place on the Quidditch pitch.

Draco Malfoy looked at Ginny as she ran off as if she had lost her mind. He looked at Harry and smiled in a flirtatious way. "I wish my friends were that friendly."

"Err… girls are more affection I guess." Harry gave a fake smile and walked off.

Professor McGonagall raised her arms and began the tournament. Every student wand was out and sending curses left and right. Harry quickly realized that running in a skirt was a bit more different than pants and had to beware that he was not flashing anyone Parvati's underwear.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Harry pointed Parvati's wand at Neville who was running in his direction, his wand raised. Instantly Neville body dropped, binding him momentary.

Harry sighed slightly, feeling tired quicker than he expected. On looking at the Quidditch bill-board clock, 20 minutes had passed, and the whole time he had been running, dodging, and casting spells. He had to find an item quickly, before he ran out of energy.

Harry glanced towards one of the keeper goals and saw Ron grab something. Apparently he was the first to find something, and Harry cheered, forgetting he was Parvati, not Harry. Ron had grabbed that wishing ring, and was taken to the winners stage to await the others.

Harry quickly looked around, but people were to big for him to see over. He wondered how Parvati could stand being so small. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Padma running towards him, apparently not caring if he was her 'sister' Before he could think, he cast a spell at her before she could raise her wand. "Expelliarmus!"

"Parvati!" Padma shouted as her wand shot out of her hand.

"Sorry!" Harry shouted and ran the opposite direction. He saw Katie Bell flying over head on her broom. That was a good idea, he wondered how come he didn't think of it. He was about to use the Accio spell to summon his broom when he saw Lisa Turpin, A Ravenclaw student, jumped on Hermione's back, just as she was about to grab what looked to be the Felix Felicis potion, and snatched it right in front of her.

Hermione cursed and pushed off of her Lisa. "You stoled my potion!"

"It's anything-goes, Granger. Deal with it." Lisa ran to the winners stages, holding her prize high.

"It's okay, Hermione, there's one left." Harry smiled at her.

"Um…thanks Parvati?"

Harry once again forgot he was Parvati. But instead of trying to explain himself he thought he'd better find the last item. He looked at Katie Bell whizzing past her and remembered that he was planning on summoning his broom. Then he remembered that if he summoned his Firebolt, then it would give away who he was. "Damn it." Harry pointed his wand in the air and shrugged. "Accio Broomstick?"

A broom shot towards him. Harry didn't know from where, but guessed it was one of the schools brooms. He mounted, and kicked off, soured above the mass of charms and hexes. He flew by Katie and waved. "Nice idea."

"Thanks. Nice flying."

"Err, thanks."

"Stop playing around and just find the last item, Harry."

Harry looked quickly at Katie. "Wha--"

"I'm teasing, Parvati. You fly your broom just like him."

"Oh…I didn't know."

"Maybe next Quidditch try outs you should enter?"

"Maybe I will. See you around!"

Harry thought it'd be wise to stay way from Katie for the time being. He shivered as he whizzed in and out of students near the ground, his legs were freezing from the skirt. Then he saw it. No one had seen it because it was not attached to anything, it was just hovering in the middle of the air, over the Quidditch pitch.

Harry went for it, but saw that Katie had seen it at the same time, but she was closer. Harry leaned down lover on his broom, as to give himself more speed and reached his hand out. A split second later he snatched the Unicorn horn, within inches of Katie's outstretched hand.

"Holy Quaffle." Katie muttered to herself. "You caught that thing like a seeker would catch a Snitch."

"I—I was just lucky." Harry lowered his broom and landed on the ground, then made his way to the stage, standing next to Ron. He took a quick look at the clock and realized that an hour had passed. He had an hour and ten minutes left before the Polyjuice Potion wore off. Plenty of time.

"Hey Parvati, nice grab." Ron looked at him.

"T-Thanks." Harry breathed heavily, wish Ron would stop looking at him as if he were a pretty girl.

McGonagall raised her arms again. "Now is the time for Ms. Chang to choose her next Date among the Runners-up. Ms Chang, if you please."

Cho walked over to the stage and bit her bottom lip. "There are two girls and one boy." She whispered to Professor McGonagall. "Do you really have to ask me which I choose?"

"It's the rules."

Cho sighed heavily and walked passed Harry and grabbed Ron's hand. "I choose Ron Weasley as my last date."

The crowd cheered, even some of the contestants cheered. The end of the three contests were over, and a celebration in the Great Hall was arranged for the winners. All Harry could think of, though, was getting out of Parvati's clothes. As the students started heading towards the castle, Lavender caught up with him, giving a pouting face.

"Why'd she have to choose my Won-Won?"

"He was the only boy." Harry said simply. "Sort of."

"Huh?"

"Err—That Lisa, girl…she's kinda ugly."

"Yeah you an say that again."

Parvati walked up to Harry and Lavender, having dirt on her face. "Here's your wand back." She tossed Harry's wand back at him. Harry tossed hers back.

"Harry, why'd you just give Parvati your wand?"

"Because that is Harry." Parvati grabbed her stomach. "Ugh…I think the Polyjuice is wearing off!"

Parvati fell over on the ground, and the image of Harry shrank into Parvati, Harry's clothes once again became baggy on her. Hermione ran up, seeing the sight from behind them, and suddenly catching on to what was happening. She, and Lavender, helped Parvati up, who started to recover slowly.

"Err…yeah."

"If you wanted to wear a skirt all you had to do was ask." Hermione giggled. Lavender and Parvati joined in.

"Hey, as soon as I get to Gryffindor tower, I'm changing out of this."

"You look cute." Ginny giggled, suddenly hold his hand.

"I…where'd you come from?" Harry looked bewildered.

"Behind you." Ginny smacked his butt, which he jumped.

"Well at least you got a Unicorn's Horn out of it." Hermione pouted. "Did you see that Lisa Turpin, she stole that potion right from my fingers!"

Harry quickly made his way back to the common room and walked into the boy dormitory. There he saw the wide eyes of Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, looked completely shocked that a girl just walked into their room. Harry quickly walked over to his trunk and pulled a change of clothes out. Then he angrily looked at Dean and Seamus. "Mind giving a girls some privately?"

"Uh…sure?"

Both boys turned around, and Harry changed out of his Parvati's clothes and into his, which were highly baggy on him. Then folding Parvati's clothes neatly he placed them in a bag. "You can turn around now, I'm done."

The with bewildered looks from Dean and Seamus harry walked out of the dorm room as he had done so a million times with the bag of Parvati's clothes. He wondered, with amusement, what could be going on in Dean and Seamus' brain after seeing that.

Harry looked at his watch and realized he still had and hour left as Parvati. He wanted to go to the Great Hall and eat something, but knew that if two Parvati's were to show up that might raise some questions. So he decided to sit in his usually place by the fire place until the Polyjuice wore out.

Ginny decided to stay with him, so he would not be lonely. Everyone else was celebrating the tournament in the Great Hall, and by now, he was sure that rumor was going about that he and Parvati used Polyjuice to fool everyone. Since he was so small as Parvati, Ginny could practically sit side by side with him on the arm chair, although to do so would be uncharacteristic of her.

Regardless of him looking like a girl, she was hanging on him as usual, not seeming to notice any difference. Harry felt strange, though, not understand how him being a girl was not upsetting her. She leaned her head on his tiny shoulder and ran her fingers through his hair, giggling an a slightly amused way.

"Ginny…are you … you know… feeling like… a bit odd doing all this?" Harry could not take it anymore.

"Oh. Because you're Parvati?" Ginny spoke as if it just dawned on her that he was a girl at the moment.

"Noticed that, did you?"

Ginny laughed. "It's you though. I mean you may not look your best…and you have boobs, but besides that you're you, and I love you no matter what."

Harry groaned. "Yeah, but isn't it hard to see another person's face where mine should be?"

"Sort of. I haven't really thought about it so much."

Girls and their weirdness. Harry thought that he'd save himself the headache and not question how she was not noticing that he was a girl. While he was trying to think of something else, Ginny startled him and climbed on his lap, sitting facing him. She pulled Harry's face towards hers and gave him one of her famous rocket launching kisses that made his body dance all over. But this time Harry felt different when she kissed him, and soon realized why. He was a girl, so he had no rocket. Still he felt something down there, and it scared him a little bit. Ginny seemed to sense that he tensed up and pulled back.

"What's wrong."

"I feel funny."

"How come. I told you your looks don't bother me."

"It's not that…" Harry glanced at his lap.

Ginny blinked, then she blushed and giggled softly. "That how girls feel when they like something… something like the kiss I just gave you."

"It's different than…well I guess you can tell."

Ginny smiled. "Yeah, I have to admit I do miss…certain things. But in forty minutes or so, it'll be back."

"You miss …err…uh… never mind."

Ginny's face got all the more redder. "Well it's a part of you, so yes I do miss it. It lets me know if I'm doing something you like."

Harry felt his face warm. "How so?"

"Um. Sometimes when I sit on you like I am now, and move my hips on your lap like this…" She moved her body on his lap, which felt sensitive as he normally would but slightly different. "...well, you get very excited. Or if I press closely on you and kiss you like this…" She returned back to her passionate kiss that Harry pulled out from moments ago. He felt his inner legs tingling more so than the rest of his body. "Harry…that's how I feel when you kiss me."

"You…you feel that weird feeling too?"

"I'm feeling it right now." Ginny spoke softly. "Just like you are."

"How can you stand it?"

"I guess the same way you can handle when …um… you get excited as a boy." Ginny face never faded and kept his red color. "I'm just more used to the feeling…you know?"

"I still feel weird." Harry looked away.

"I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

"I don't know if there is." Harry blinked.

Ginny leaned her head down, resting it on his chest. Harry's once again felt his face warm up as she nuzzled as she would normally do, but this time it was different. Harry kept quiet and tried not to think about it. He looked at the clock seeing time not passing fast enough. He just had to drink the whole cup of the Polyjuice Potion, didn't he?

"Harry." Ginny spoke from his chest. "I..I want to kiss you some more. But if you feel weird about it, then I'll wait."

"I…err…I'm trying not to be weird about it." Harry felt Ginny pull her head off of him. "I guess you're just more wilder than I am."

"Maybe. It's strange. I really just want to kiss you. I don't care what you look like, or sound like…or feel like. You're so warm, and I just want to… um… well be with you."

"Oh."

"Did you…um…want to come up to the girls dormitory with me?" Ginny got a wild look on her eye. "I mean, I just had a crazy idea. You don't have to if you want too. But while you're like this, I can show you how…how girls feels."

Harry knew he must of gave Ginny a strange look. She was acting crazier than some of those nights he was in the Hospital. She had that look on her face that she had when he was in her bedroom and she admitted she wanted to be closer to him. Harry could tell that she wanted him, for some reason, at that moment.

"Ginny I…"

"I know it's weird, but I can show you what girls like…and when you become a boy, you can …um… show me what you've learned." Ginny looked like she were pleading with him. "C'mon, you won't be sorry, I promise!"

"Ginny!" Harry stopped her. "Ginny…I want to be with you too. But I don't want our first time to be like this…it freaky. And besides I'm sure Parvati would hate me abusing her body like that."

"But I don't care about all that, I just want to be with you!"

"But I do. I don't feel like me when I'm like this." Harry pulled Ginny off his lap. "And I want for it to be special, you know. It won't feel special to me if I'm not even me."

"I know I can make you feel special."

"I know you can too, but please you have to wait."

Ginny opened her mouth, but said nothing. She slapped herself lightly on the cheek and shook her head. "I just need to calm down. I got myself so worked up. I'm sorry Harry."

"I know." Harry saw Ginny still staring at him with those eyes that looked as though they wanted to rip his clothes off. "You honestly don't see Parvati looking at you, do you…you see me."

Ginny blinked, breathing heavy. "You don't look like her to me. Your facial expressions, the way you talk, the way you look at me, how you feel when you kiss me. I can't see anything but you."

At that moment Hermione walked in, looking completely drained. "You know the Great Hall is crowded and everyone is yelling." She sat on the arm chair face them. "Harry, you still haven't changed back?"

"I have thirty minutes or so."

Ginny looked as if she were calming down the longer Hermione stayed in the room. This relieved Harry. Ginny looking sex staved scared him slightly. What would happen if she got like that when he was normal? Was he ready? Could he handle it? He didn't want to disappoint her after all that waiting.

Ginny interrupted his thoughts. "Does everyone know that it was Harry who caught the Unicorn horn by now?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, Cho is furious. She can't believe she walked right passed Harry and picked Ron. Katie Bell told her she should have realized it was him by the way he handled his broom and caught that horn."

Ginny pouted. "I didn't see him catch the horn at all. I was busy running from Romilda Vane. She's a fourth year, so I don't know how she got on the pitch."

Hermione continued. "Lavender is all over Ron, yelling at him for winning, but is happy for him at the same time. You'd think she was bipolar."

Harry laughed but Ginny did not get the reference. "Um, bipolar is a Muggle disease where people switch unhealthily from emotion to emotions like crazy."

"Aren't they sent to asylums for that?" Ginny looked confused.

"I guess some are, but mostly it's a disease that mild enough a person can deal with everyday life." Hermione explained "They just make people around them uncomfortable if they don't take their medications." "I guess I understand."

Hermione looked at Ginny then blinked slightly. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Why do you ask?"

"You look really flush."

Harry stiffened. "She um…"

Ginny giggled. "Don't worry Harry. I was…kissing Harry like crazy before you entered and I guess I'm still a bit excited from that."

Harry felt like melting into the seat and running away. Girls were so weird. Hermione also looked a bit embarrassed, not expecting Ginny to be so blunt.

"Oh…how nice."

"It was." Ginny smiled.

Harry decided a subject changed needed to happen, and right away. "Err, um, so…Ron…does he know what he's going to wish for?"

"He'll probably end up using it for Lavender." Hermione waved off the questions. "She's all over him all the time."

"Either that or he'll waste it on a sandwich or something." Ginny added.

After her date with Ron, Cho seemed to come back to her true form and started pestering Harry again. The fights between Ginny and Cho were getting more unbearable as the days went on. Professors had even stepped in at one point to stop the two girls from brawling. The almost fight caused quite a scandal throughout the school, and also resulted in Ginny receiving a Howler from her mother.

GINNY WEASLEY!! HOW DARE YOU START FIGHTS AT

SCHOOL!! YOUR FATHER AND I ARE COMPLETELY DISAPPOINTED IN YOUR LACK OF JUDGEMENT!! IF YOU CAN'T CONTROL YOURSELF, THEN I'LL BE FORCED TO ASK YOU TO STOP SEEING HARRY!!

Nothing against you Harry, dear, I know you weren't involved.

YOU BETTER BEHAVE!! STOP ACTING LIKE A CHILD JUST BECAUSE

MS. CHANG IS AND BE RESPONSIBLE!!

While keeping to himself, Harry tried to think of a way to end the excessive bickering once and for all, and he even had talks with Professor McGonagall on the subject.

"I don't know what to tell you, Mr. Potter. I'm certainly not an expert on the matters of the heart." The Professor would say.

Still, Harry had talked his situation over with other professors and he even caught one with Professor Dumbledore, a rarity to see him these days. Slughorn never really gave Harry advise, but just laughed and saying that if every man had lady problems like Harry, then they would be lucky indeed. Professor Dumbledore was slightly more helpful.

"You have made it clear to Ms. Chang that you are no longer interested in her?"

"I thought going out with someone else was clear enough." Harry responded.

"Ah, but from what I've seen, Ms Chang believes you to be in some kind of love spell, does she not?"

"Err, yes sir. I don't know why."

"Young love, Harry. Or more to the point, perhaps a slight obsession. It's not everyday a young girl like Ms. Chang runs into a living legend." Dumbledore chuckled.

"You think she likes me because I'm famous?"

"I really don't know the full circumstances of Ms. Chang's feelings, Harry. It is possible that she truly feels for you. I do not see that there is anything you can do to change her feelings. If you had already made it clear that you are not interested, then it is her choice to chose to except this or not. Obviously she has chosen not to accept this."

"But, sir. I can't have Ginny and Cho fighting over me every time they see each other. Worst of all they drag others into their fights. The Cho Chang Challenges should be proof enough for that."

"If you can not stand the aggressive affections of Ms. Weasley and Ms. Chang, then perhaps you should discontinue your current relationship with both girls. If being with one of them causes the three of you unhappiness, then perhaps being apart from them is the only solution."

Harry wished Professor Dumbledore had better advise. Even though it made perfect sense, he didn't want to break up with Ginny, again. But the fighting was unbearable. He found himself leaving every time they fought, spending more time with Neville and Parvati… even Loony Luna once, who all avoided the situation.

Ron broke away from Lavender after Potions to spend time with Harry and Hermione one afternoon. Harry decided to stay clear of the Great Hall, so after changing out of their robes and into regular clothes, the three made their way out doors, where the weather was mildly warm. Hermione the sensible one of the group, had brought along snacks, which they all shared, staring at the Whomping Willow from a distance.

"Do you remember when things were simple?" Harry asked out of the blue.

"Not really." Ron smirked. "In fact this is probably the only peaceful year at Hogwarts we've had."

"If you count your sister and Cho fighting over Harry all the time as peaceful." Hermione wiped her hands on her jeans.

"It's still an awful lot more peaceful than being killed by You-Know-Who."

Harry glanced at Ron, the sun causing him to squint. "You're right Ron. It has been quiet in school, other than the domestic stuff. Do you suppose the war between the Death Eaters and the Aurors is going well?"

"A couple of students just randomly drop out of school." Hermione observed. "Probably because their families are in trouble."

"Plus Dumbledore has been gone a lot lately." Ron added. "have you noticed his hand? It looks injured."

"I have." Harry sighed. "The beginning to the school year I noticed Malfoy acting strange, but because of …well girl problems… I forgot all about it. Come to think of it, Hasn't Malfoy dropped out of his Quidditch team?"

"Well you DID send his father to Azkaban, Harry. He's probably just depressed that his family is locked up and all his things taken away by the Ministry of Magic." Hermione reasoned.

"I guess you're right." Harry leaned back, his arm accidentally brushed against Hermione's inner thigh. Harry didn't realize she as that close to him, so when Hermione jumped slightly, he quickly pulled his arm back. He tried to ignore he accidentally groped Hermione by continuing the conversation. "Uh…Maybe I shouldn't be complaining that I'm…err… having a normal year."

"Harry, have you thought about what you're going to use your Unicorn horn for" Ron asked completely out of the blue.

"I guess I should save it." Harry was glad Ron hadn't noticed Hermione jumping moments ago. "I know I'm supposed to mix it with potions to get it to work, but it can do so many things and I can only use it once. It sort of just like your ring, in a way."

"Do you know what you're going to wish for, yet?" Hermione's voice was tiny.

"Reckon I don't know. I could wish for Dad getting a raise…or maybe coming into loads of money."

"If you can't think of anything, you can wish Cho Chang to start pestering someone else." Harry smirked.

"Yeah right, and miss the fun of watching you squirm everyday." Ron laughed.

"THERE you are Won-Won!"

It was Lavender. Harry had guessed that the hour he was a part from her was more than she could stand. "Lavender, what a surprise." Harry smiled, but spoke in a sarcastic voice. "Your lips must of gotten cold, that why you come looking for Ron?"

"Ha. Ha." Lavender gave Harry a look. "Come on Ron. I want to show you something Parvati bought me…some place called Viscera Secret."

Harry had the strangest thought that Viscera Secret was the Wizard world equivalent of Victoria Secret. Apparently Ron knew exactly what she meant and gave a quick wave towards Hermione and Harry and was gone in a heart beat. Hermione gave a "gahh" sound and scooted closer to Harry.

"Oh…err…sorry about…um, you know touching you. I didn't mean it." Harry said as soon as he was sure Ron was out of hearing distance.

"It's okay." Hermione spoke as if she had forgotten.

Deciding that he didn't want to linger in that awkward atmosphere, Harry made some excuse to leave. Almost immediately Hermione made one as well. She didn't want to think about Harry the same he didn't want to think about her. This suited Harry fine. He quickly made his way towards the bridge leading to the Owlery. Perhaps spending some time with Hedwig would give him some peace.

On entering the Owlery, Harry saw Pansy Parkinson, sitting next to her Owl looking off into space. She looked like she had been crying, her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were pinker than their normal shade of pale. Harry cursed to himself and turned to go, hoping she didn't notice him, but at the last second she saw him as he turned to go.

"Go head, get you digs in."

Harry stopped, not all to sure what the girl was talking about. "Pardon?"

"You've seen me crying." She said in a monotone voice. She seems strangely odd without her normal sneer to her.

"I know, I'm sorry for interrupting." Harry rubbed the back of his head wanting to run away as fast as he could.

"Sorry..." Pansy's face was like stone, even though her bottom lip was shaking slightly. "Sorry."

"Yeah." Harry blinked. "I really am. I'll leave you alone, okay?"

Pansy sniffed and stood up. "You're not supposed to be sorry!" She walked closer to him. Normally he would have took out his wand if she were advancing toward him as quickly as she was, but this time all he could do was just stand still and try and not to scream in frustration. "You're supposed to laugh at me! You're supposed to jinx me! Why won't you jinx me!"

She was on the verge of tears again and she was now pounding his chest with her fist weakly. Harry wondered what the hell he just walked into. He never seen this girl have a shred of humanity in her before.

"I won't jinx you." Harry said pathetically. "You're feeling down, it's just wrong."

Pansy weakly stopped hitting him and started bawling into his shoulder. The scene was so moving Harry couldn't help but hold her and console her. Whatever had happened to Pansy had made her loose all her senses. Even and enemy like her was a person somewhere inside.

After a few minutes she pulled away and wiped her face. She didn't look embarrassed at she had just cried on the shoulder of someone she hated. She returned back to the stone face look she had when he had entered.

"Draco broke up with me." Pansy said after a while, then looked at him as if waiting for him to tease her now that he had some information.

"Err-- I know you liked him but he's a git and you're probably better off." Harry said.

Pansy didn't say anything for a while. "You're not supposed to say that."

"What do you want me to say."

"That I deserve this. That I had it coming to me for being so mean to you... to everyone."

"No one deserves a broken heart." Harry started to feel for her. She didn't seem so ugly anymore.

"You're an idiot." Pansy sniffed again. She didn't call him an idiot in malice however.

"Listen, I've been through hell all my life. I've been the child my adoptive family never wanted, my only real family killed by Voldemort and Death Eaters." Pansy flinched but he kept on "add that to people hating me because I'm famous. I've been beaten to death on the Quidditch pitch and bitten by a poison Basilisk. Let's not forget the three times I've been tortured by Voldermort himself. But after all of that, the most pain I have suffered was when Ginny broke up with me. And I don't wish that on anyone."

Pansy blinked. "You're... a better person that I thought." She gave a small smile, which faded almost as quickly as it came. "Why are you still with Weasley, then?"

Suddenly Harry couldn't answer that question. Maybe it was because he didn't want to be alone. That because he wanted to have a girlfriend for so long that it seemed stupid not to have one when one so desperately wanted to be with him. But somehow that wasn't it at all.

"I love her I guess. But.. but I can't stand how she fights over me." Harry muttered. "I tell her to stop, but she doesn't listen. It's like what I feel doesn't matter. And sometimes she just wants to have at me, and I just don't feel comfortable yet."

"W-Why are you telling me this?" Pansy stuttered.

"I'm not sure." Harry really didn't. "Maybe it's because you're an outside party, and also since you've told me your problem."

Pansy seemed to be cheering up talking about someone else's problems aside her own. "I've heard the girls talk. They say you're miserable."

Harry sighed. "Dumbledore told me that it might be a good idea if I stopped seeing Ginny. He said it was unhealthy for me, Cho and her. He might be right. The few moments of joy I have with her gets interrupted by Cho, or her strange sexual attacks. After Christmas Holiday, things for us changed. We used to just want to be together, but now whenever I get a few moments alone with her, she just smothers me. Like all she thinks about is just…having sex with me?"

"I thought that's what boys were supposed to want in a girl." Pansy blinked. "That's all Draco wanted anyway."

"I would be lying if I said I didn't want too," harry tried to push the Malfoy comment from his head. Somehow he didn't want to think of him thrusting wildly on Pansy. "but I just can't bring myself to do it. It's not an obsession with me, it's just something I'd like to do to show her I love her. But it seems like with her she just wants to have at it. – she even wanted to when I was Parvati!"

"Oh."

"I don't know what to do. The Weasley's have been so kind to me…what would happen if I broke up with Ginny?"

"If you care more about what her family thinks than her, then you probably don't want to be with her anymore, Harry." Pansy looked at Harry.

"But…But, will they hate me? I can't go telling Mrs. Weasley that I wanted to break up with her daughter because she wants to shag me all the time."

Pansy spoke softly. "If you feel that strongly about it, maybe you should write Mrs. Weasley a letter, asking what her what you think you should do. Perhaps editing out the sexual content."

"I think I'll do that. She can't be angry at me if I ask her advise."


	10. Chapter 10

Harry Potter and the Unicorn's Horn

by

Glee-chan

This is a fan fiction based on the J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe. I do not take claim to own any characters, places, and magical objects that are not original. Most characters are the property of Rowling, and I do not intend to make money off of this fan fiction, merely just writing for fun. I don't have a million dollars to fork over, thus does not want any legal action to be taken. The events in this story take place in a Book 6 alternate timeline

Chapter Ten

Harry followed Pansy suggestion after he and Pansy talked some more about Malfoy. When she had left he wrote and sent a lengthy letter to Mrs. Weasley, regarding Ginny. But Pansy was not the only odd thing that occurred that day. Because of him accidently touching her Hermione became all the more shy around him, especially when Ginny was around. Whenever Ron came to be with them, she seemed to have returned to her normal self and could joke around with both of them. These times were rare, for Ron still spent most of his time with Lavender.

"She wanted to try it on for me, Harry! Try it on!" Ron told Harry and Hermione the Viscera Secret story. Hermione kept rolling her eyes, which Ron ignored. "Did I mention how sheer that gown was, and short?"

"About a million times, Ronald." Hermione groaned.

"See, you're just jealous that …"

"What? That you've seen Lavender almost naked. I have seen her completely naked. It's not big deal."

"It is if you're a guy." Ron pointed out. "Harry back me up!"

"Um…don't drag me into this." Harry laughed.

"C'mon!" Ron shoved Harry. "Anyway, so I say 'If you want too' and she just strips! Right there in front of me and puts it on!"

"She's such a romantic." Hermione giggled.

"Yeah, you said it." Ron looked dreamily at the fireplace. "Hey, maybe I should find her?"

"Why? You just were with her." Harry pointed out.

"Yeah…I guess you're right." Ron sighed.

Dean Thomas walked into the portrait hole, looked around the common room, then spotted Harry and made his way towards his direction. "Harry, your girl just had another fight with Cho."

"What else is new." Hermione muttered. His talk with Pansy had soured Ginny in his eyes lately.

Dean continued. "This time Cho punched her. You should have seen it. After Cho punched her, Ginny leaped on top of her and the two just went at it, clawing, screaming, and ripping at each other."

Harry looked at Ron, both with concern on their face.

"Professor Slughorn and Hagrid had to put a stop to it." Dean looked slightly excited that he was there to see the whole thing. "Old McGonagall told me that she wrote both of their parents, and they should be arriving at the school at anytime."

"That's no good." Ron slapped Harry on the back

Dean nodded in agreement "McGonagall wanted me to find you, Harry, and tell you to meet her in her office as soon as you can."

Harry grumbled. "You know, we should have realized it'd come to this."

Ron poked Dean. "Who would you say won the fight?"

"I can't say. They both looked pretty scratched up. Both were bleeding with black eyes and bruises. Looked equal to me."

"I better go see what Professor McGonagall wants." Harry went to his feet.

Harry got no argument from either Ron or Hermione, as he left the common room. He made his way down the hallways, until he reached Professor McGonagall's office. He stopped at the door, which was cracked opened slightly, so when Harry knocked it moved forward. The professor saw Harry at the door and motioned him in. When Harry entered, he saw both Weasley parents and Cho's father. Each had a parchment from the school in their hand, asking for them to come. Harry noticed that Mrs. Wesley also had his note that he had sent to her earlier.

"Ah, have a seat." McGonagall spoke softly towards him. Harry knew she did so because he must have looked like he was in for it when he walked in. On sitting down, he noticed that Professor Flitwick was also in the room.

"This situations getting out of hand. These girls fight verbally everyday, and now it had come to this!" McGonagall informed the parents.

"Ms. Chang's grades have been dropping slowly since the beginning of this school year," Flitwick told Mr. Chang. "As well as Ms. Weasley, from what I hear." McGonagall nodded in agreement.

"I will inform my daughter to behave immediately." Mr. Chang looked highly upset, and looked at Harry. "You are the boy these girls are fighting over?"

"Y-Yes sir."

"What's you're name then."

"This is Harry Potter." Mr. Weasley answered for him. "My daughter has been infatuated with him ever since she was a 2nd year."

"Harry Potter?" Mr. Cho's face brightened. "I had no idea my daughter fancied such a famous boy."

"Never-the-less, this behavior is intolerable." McGonagall brought the subject back to where it belonged. "Mr. Potter is not in fault of the issue, but I thought it might be wise for him to be here when I talked to you after your daughters."

"I assure you, my daughter will not behave this way again." Mr. Chang looked stern.

"Ginny will get back in line, we promise." Mrs. Weasley glanced at Harry.

"Good." Flitwick said. "Before you have a word with your children, I wish to inform you that both of your daughters will be serving detention, and have points taken away from their houses. Such behavior must not be rewarded!"

"I understand. If you excuse me." Mr. Chang left, his footsteps walking towards the Hospital wing.

Flitwick gave a bow to the Weasley's and McGonagall and followed after Mr. Chang. McGonagall gave a slight nod. "My office is at your disposal. Goodnight Mr. Potter." She left them alone with Harry.

Mr. Weasley sat on McGonagall's desk, while Mrs. Weasley took a seat next to Harry. there was an awkward silence in the air. Harry wished he could run away and hid under his bed after another few moments of silence.

"I-I'm sorry…"

Mr. Weasley looked as if he were pulled from serious thought. "Oh, sorry. No, no, Harry. We're not angry at you."

"You're not?"

"Completely not your fault." Mrs. Weasley confirmed. "However something must be done."

Harry looked around the office wondering why he was still there if they did not blame him for that happened. Mrs. Weasley seemed to sense Harry's discomfort.

"I had just finished reading your post, Harry, when McGonagall had wrote, asking us to come here tonight. Strange how the same fears you wrote of in your letter happened just after you wrote it."

"I honestly did not know what happened until just a few moments ago. I was worried about how things were going between us." Harry looked down. "I didn't know what to do, so I thought I'd ask you advise. Turns out what I was afraid of came true."

"We appreciate that you came to us with your problem, Harry." Mr. Weasley said. "Very admirable of you."

"I wasn't sure how you'd take it…since I was talking about your daughter." Harry looked even more uncomfortable. "It's just been getting worse after Christmas Holiday, and when I wrote that, I just couldn't take the fighting anymore…"

"We understand." Mrs. Weasley. "I was just about to write you back, asking you if you considered breaking up with our daughter temporarily. I know it's a horrible thing to ask, and we don't want to upset you, but we really think it would be the best for her."

Harry felt slightly relieved. "To be honest, I was feeling horrible too. I thought about breaking up with her, but I felt everyone would hate me."

"No, no, Harry. No!" Mr. Weasley stood up. "Not at all. Perhaps the two of you just rushed into it. No, I think a break up is what you two need."

Harry looked down. "Easier said than done…how am I going to tell Ginny? She'll hate me."

Mrs. Weasley hugged him. "Just be honest with her, dear. Tell her the truth. She'll be upset, but eventually she'll understand."

"I can't believe that you're both so…understanding." Harry really couldn't believe it. He was talking about breaking up with their only daughter and they were supporting him. He wished he had a family like the Weasleys. They were always good to him.

"Well Arthur, best we talk to our daughter."

"I hate this part. Have a good evening Harry."

After the Weasley's had left Ginny had come to the common room and found Harry. She apologized for how she had acted, and informed him that her parents wanted her to stopping seeing Harry for a little while. This took some of the pressure off of Harry, as he did not have break the poor girls heart. He told Ginny (after she told him what her parents had said) that he was thinking of a break as well. She looked sad but understood, having seen herself acting a fool for the past few months she actually agreed with the decision.

This did not mean that either of them were happy about the break up. Ginny, to avoid being alone with Harry, studied more often, and started talking to other boys. He knew she really was not as interested in them as they were in her, but Harry felt that she had to be with someone in order for her not to think of him.

Cho also was mild around Harry. Apparently her father must had put fear into her, as she barely looked at Harry, let alone talked to him. It was an odd feeling. Harry was once the topic of girls affection and now he was the plague. Well at least a while. Some girls, (one of which was Luna Lovegood) seeing an opening, started flirting with him a few days after the break up, which Harry did not return.

It only made matters worse when Ron and Lavender would hang on each other during meals and in the common room. She somehow incorporated herself in every conversation he had with him, and also managed to make Ron do things for her whenever she wanted him too. Ron really never seemed to mind, as his relationship with her kept getting more physical.

Hermione, on the other hand, seemed to be in Ginny's corner even though it wasn't her choice. Ginny had chosen her as the friend she would talk to and that meant she couldn't be be around Harry to often.

They had one last Hogsmeade visit before exams. Not wanting to spend the day with Ron and Lavender, or risk seeing Ginny with some 5th year, Harry wanted to find someone to spend some time with. Parvati had already agreed to go somewhere with Padma, Neville was still dating Hannah Abbot (Harry still couldn't figure this out), and Luna said she was busy looking for Bum-Bum Pixie Dragons...whatever they were. So when Harry ran into Pansy the day before the Hogsmeade trip he asked if she was doing anything. She was a depressed mess these days as all her friends were Malfoys. naturally they sided with him, leaving her alone.

On the day of the trip, Harry met Pansy, along with the other students, at the carriages that would take them to Hogsmeade. Harry suddenly felt underdressed when he saw what Pansy was wearing as he arrived in their carriage. He was only wearing normal jeans and a blue-t-shirt, while Hermione had her hair in black ribbons, boots, a short black lolita type dress. Even as gothic as she looked, he had to admit she looked adorable, even if he didn't admit it out loud.

Pansy didn't seem to notice that she was over dressed, or that he was under dressed and seemed just all the more happy when they arrived in Hogsmeade. Which was hard to tell with her look of apathy she constantly wore. After getting two butterbeers, Harry asked Pansy if she minded if they just walked the streets. He figured he'd see less of Ginny and Won-Won that way. Pansy agreed and they made their way towards the fence blocking the entrance to the Shrieking Shack.

"Pretty day." Pansy placed her bag on a fence post and stretched out her arms as if she were embracing the spring air. She looked happy, even if she had a stoic face. She wasn't one for showing off her emotions harry could see. "It's perfect isn't it?"

"I guess so. Too bad Quidditch season is over. Better to play in this than in the freezing rain."

They stood on the fence and looked at the Shrieking Shack for a while in silence. Harry was reliving his first encounters with Sirius Black on looking at the sight. Then Pansy jumped off the fence, turning her back to the shack and looking back into Hogsmeade Village. Harry felt pressured to say something, so he hopped off the fence as well and stood next to her.

"You…err…look nice."

This caught Pansy by surprise. "Thank you. It's such cool weather, I thought I'd wear this dress." Even though it was black it was real airy. Then a thought came to her. "You don't think I'm horrible do you?"

"No, why would you think that?"

"Because I didn't tell you how I was going dress."

Harry shrugged. "I guess you figured I wasn't your tailor, it wasn't my business."

Pansy blinked "No I didn't mean it like that."

"I know." Harry smiled. "You do look nice, though."

Pansy's pale face shined slightly pinker. "I-I have to watch myself." She sounded as if she was changing the subject to avoid more praise. "If the wind keeps whipping like this, it might blow up my dress." She then got even pinker. "Oh… that's embarrassing…" She whispered to herself.

"Well if the wind blows up your dress, I promise I won't mind." Harry heard himself say, then wondered immediately why he had said that. To his relief Pansy gave a rare smile at him and gave him a playful smack on the arm.

"I wish I had brought a blanket and a basket. We could sit here all day and just enjoy this weather."

Harry pulled out his wand. "Err…let's give this a try - Accio Harry's blanket!"

A few moments later his blanketed floated towards them from the direction of the school. Pansy gave a satisfied nod then laid the blanket on the ground, sitting down near the middle then gesturing Harry to join her. Harry took off his shoes then plopped down next to her.

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure how to conjure food." Harry then wondered how Dumbledore did it.

"Don't trouble yourself. I'm not hungry." Pansy straightened the bottom of her dress.

There was more silence, and Harry wasn't sure if Pansy was expecting him to say anything. He looked at her, but she even with her seemly emotionless state, she just looked so pleased to be sitting out in the sun, and looked perfectly pleasant to have Harry sitting next to her. It looked like she hadn't a thought in her mind. She just looked purely relaxed.

"Perhaps you could visiting me over Holiday?" Pansy asked out of no where.

"What?"

"I didn't mean it that way pervert." Pansy said, the breeze blowing the ribbons in her hair. "I imagine I would feel much like you did when you first came to Hogwarts if I ever visited a Muggle home."

"Ron's been to mine a couple of times, but not for long. Mostly to steal me away from the Dursley's."

"They are you're awful relatives aren't they?" Pansy looked at Harry, then her eyes widened. "It must be horrible living with Muggles. I'd help you escape if I could!"

Harry laughed at Pansy. "I wish you could too. I'm sure your folks are loads better than Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia."

"Did you ever have any Muggle girlfriends…you know, when you go home for the summer?" Another question out of the blue.

"No. No one likes me there."

"I don't see why not."

"I think mainly because they are afraid of Dudley."

"That's your cousin, right?"

"Yeah."

"Oh." Pansy laid down on her back, stretching out on the blanket, looking at the sky. "I'm sure you're way more handsomer than he is." She said this in her usual emotionless voice.

Harry leaned over her head so she could see him. "Handsome, me?"

"Yes you." Pansy raised her eyebrows. "Why do you think the girls go mad over you?"

"Because I'm famous."

"I guess you're right about that, but they also think you're cute. I'm sure you've heard it before."

"I have from Pavarti, but you really can't take anything Parvati says as true. She likes to add things here and there until the story isn't anything to what it really is."

Pansy smiled. A rare thing indeed coming from her. She looked to the sides, as if she could see anything but grass, then back up at Harry. "Would you think it horrid of me if I were to tell you that I think you're handsome?"

"Err…no?"

"Okay. Then would you also think it terrible awful of me to say that my heart is racing ever since you started leaning over me like this?"

Harry blinked at the bluntness of that statement. She just said it in a mater-offact tone. "I'm not sure what you mean."

Pansy reached up and pulled the back of his head lower towards her face. "It means that I really want to kiss you…but I feel awful for it. I know we've both been through break ups. But…you being here with me, on this wonderful day, leaning over me like this…I…I just want to …." She lifted her head up and kissed him quickly, then rest it back down on the blanket. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't have done that."

Harry blinked, not expecting any of that from her. He was not sure what to think. "It's so strange. We've been enemies for ages."

"I know…" It was hard to tell what she really was thinking. He barely knew her and she really seemed attached. She reminded him of Wednesday Addams.

"I do think you're cute…" Harry forced out, feeling he had to say something. He wasn't lying she was the most adorable gothic girl he'd ever seen. It was odd he thought she was so ugly weeks ago.

"Me too……"

"I just got out of a relationship." Harry reminded himself.

"I realize that. Perhaps I'm lonely because of my break up and just want to be with someone who is also lonely."

"I can understand that. I'm not against the idea." Harry gave a shrug.

"You aren't?" Pansy blinked again. "Do you want to…explore now?"

"I'm a bit frightened."

"Me too." Pansy pulled Harry's head down lower planting another kiss. She pulled back. "I'm terrified."

Strange as it was, within weeks of losing two girls, Harry had gained another one. But this time the school wasn't in the know about it, which made him feel better. Pansy seemed to like keeping their involvement with each other a secret as well, not wanting to start another feud with girls who claimed Harry as their own. However sometimes she was would hold his hand under tables and gave him a flirtatious look, which sometimes was caught by other people. Thankfully with the exams coming, no one had time to think about Harry and Pansy.

Harry spend free time studying with Hermione, they were talking terms again because of exams and spend most of their time looking over text books and parchments. This was extremely difficult as Ginny took to paraded around with her new boyfriend, Dean Thomas. She still looked at Harry with that longing in her eye, but thought she'd torture him by being with other boys while he tried to study. Hermione gave Harry comforting looks, and promised to make him feel better later. Harry was not at all sure what that meant but had too much on his mind to think it over.

Ron was not studying at all, as he decided to use his one wish: To pass exceptionally well on all his exams. Harry knew Ron thought this would free his time up so he could make out with Lavender some more, but Lavender, not having the luxury of a wishing ring, had to study just like everyone else. This left Ron bored, and he actually started studying with Harry and Hermione out of boredom. Harry was surprised how brilliant Ron's wish made him when they were studying Potions.

The day of the exams came and everyone was stressing out, big time. Thanks to the Half-Blood Prince, Harry's Potion exam went smoothly, and he had received his highest marks up till that point. As expected for Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Snape's final Harry had to struggle. On the written, Harry got by barely, but on the practical portion of the test even Snape could not find anything wrong. For his other classes Harry did as he would have expected, mostly doing exceptionally well.

Hermione and Ron got higher marks than he did however, Hermione being the book worm that she was, was no surprise. Ron's wish seemed to make him exceptionally knowledgeable on everything from 6th year down. He wasn't just getting good grades because of a wish, but the wish packed his brain with all the knowledge he'd need to do well that he was getting the grades on his own. Both Harry and Hermione were proud that he made such a smart wish, one that would last him for a life time instead of some foolish instantaneous thing.

When exams had finished, the school sighed a huge collective sigh of relief. Most students did not have the energy to celebrate and most just hung around the Great Hall or their common rooms, just letting their brains rest. Lavender thought she would reward Ron for his great marks, so Harry, Hermione, and Ginny did not see him much until the next day.

When dinner came about nearly everyone was starving, and much eating was doing rather than talking. Harry noticed that once again Professor Dumbledore was absent, as well as Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy. This had been an odd year indeed, but even as odd as it was Harry did not want to leave Hogwarts and return to the Dursley's.

Harry after the main corse Pansy had joined Harry, which wasn't too uncommon, as most people had believed they were friends after they both had break ups. He noticed that Pansy was sitting on his left side, and Ginny on his right. Dean Thomas looked shockingly dreadful, which Harry had guessed it had nothing to do with his grades. It was the end of the school year, the grades were all in, and Harry had guessed that Ginny had broken up with Dean to re-pursue her relationship with him.

"How do you like dinner, Harry?" Ginny seemed to act normal around him, although there was hints that she was trying to flirt with him.

"He likes it fine." Pansy muttered.

Harry gave a sigh. Poor Pansy had walked into it and she didn't know it. He knew were this was going to go from the experience with Cho.. "I think I'm going to go to bed early tonight."

"Don't go!" Ginny pleaded.

Pansy looked just as sad as Ginny did. "If you really want to sleep…I guess we shouldn't stop you."

Harry gave a frown. "I just don't want you two to start fighting."

Both Ginny and Pansy got pink in the face. Ginny glanced around. "We don't mean too… It's just... I barely know her and why are you around her so much lately?"

"It really isn't your business." Pansy said calmly.

"Isn't it obvious?" Hermione looked annoyed. "Harry and Pansy are going out."

Harry wanted to slap his forehead. "Thanks Hermione."

Ginny sighed. "I knew it. Harry. I know it's hard for you, but it's hard on me too. I know you like me, and I had suspicions that you were in a relationship with her."

"Not were. Are." Pansy corrected. "I don't want to be cruel, but you're relationship ended a while ago."

Hermione looked down at her plate. "No one wants to give up on you, it seems."

"Thanks Hermione." Harry said again.

"Even Cho." Ginny pointed over to the Ravenclaw table where Cho was looking in their direction. On seeing them all look at her, she quickly looked down at her plate.

Harry shook his head. "I'm just one guy. Even when I do pick one girl, the others don't except it.."

"That's why we need two Harrys" Ginny said mildly. "Either that or you date both of us."

Both Harry and Hermione gave Ginny a strange look Pansy lowered her eyebrows. "Date both of us? Are you crazy?"

"It sounds weird but think about it. We care for him and and he obviously cares for both of us. Why he cares for you I don't understand. But we can be friends. I could share him if it meant I got to be with him."

Pansy just stared at her. "I am perfectly happy the way things are." Then she looked at Hermione "Although it would have been better if it were less open."

"C'mon. You know deep down he loves me. don't you?" Ginny continued. "And I'm willing to share. Just because no one else does it doesn't make it wrong. Why can't we share him?"

Hermione shook her head. "That's just asking for trouble. Say Pansy wants him to herself one night and you another… wouldn't that cause conflicts… wouldn't you two be constantly be jealous of the other?"

Harry held up his hands. "Am I even in this conversation? Do I get a say?"

"If we arrange it right, then we'll have no need to be jealous and all that. Say we make a calendar on what days each of us get him?" Ginny started pulling out parchment, quill, and ink well. She wrote the days of the week on it then stopped. "Say Pansy has Harry Monday, Wednesday, and Friday - and I have him Tuesday, Thursdays, and Saturday. Sunday we flip for it."

Hermione looked over the parchment. "That's all well and good but what if something arises, like a trip, or a Holiday and you want Harry for that thing but it lays on the wrong day."

"We can make certain allowances for that. Like say we have Hogsmeade visits we jumps days. Or if say you want him on Tuesday and I agree that it's okay, I can give up Tuesday for your Wednesday." Ginny wrote down that idea on the parchment.

"Um…girls…" Harry looked from both of them hopelessly.

"Did they forget I'm here?" Pansy looked at Harry.

Hermione shook her head. "It sounds good and all that, but I'm sure neither of you will like it that the other girl is kissing and what not with Harry."

Ginny looked as though she were thinking hard on that last one. "If we are equally being physical, it shouldn't be a problem. I mean, I wouldn't mind at least. As long as I had my share as well."

Hermione looked as though she were actually thinking about it. Pansy sighed and looked at the parchment more closely. Harry stood up. "You've both gone mad."

"Oh hush Harry." Ginny looked at the parchment. "This might not be such a bad idea if you think about it. You can't tell me that being with two girls isn't exciting, can you?"

"I don't think I could handle one girl." Harry knew that he must have looked panicked because Hermione and Ginny both laughed at him. Even Pansy smiled a small bit

"Oh, hey I want in." Cho's voice came from over their shoulder. She was looking at Ginny's parchment.

"What, no way." Ginny placed her quill down. "I can't stand you, let alone tolerate you kissing all over Harry."

Pansy glanced up at Cho. "You and her just can't get along, it wouldn't work."

"No, but see…we didn't get along because we both wanted Harry to ourselves. But in this plan we all get him equally so we shouldn't have a problem."

Harry rubbed his forehead. "No…no… I mean two was hard enough, but three?"

Cho reached for Ginny's quill and wrote an alternate schedule underneath the original. "Look it won't be that difficult. Pansy has Monday and Thursday, Ginny has Tuesday and Friday, and I would have Wednesday and Saturday."

"I don't know, Cho." Ginny looked at the parchment. "I still don't like you that much, I don't know if I could take you touching Harry."

"I don't like you either, but I'm willing to do this so I can have Harry at least two days out of the week. He's worth it to me, isn't he worth it to you?"

"Of course he is." Ginny muttered.

"Nonsense." Pansy shook her head. "All of this conversation is an interesting discussion but I'm not serious about going through with it. And even if I were, I'd only consider just me and Ginny, but adding another girl…I don't like it."

Harry sighed. "I don't like the whole thing, but no one seems to care about what I want."

Cho threw the quill on the parchment. "What about this then, you have Harry as you agreed before, and I have him on Sundays! I have only one day to your three."

Harry grumbled. "Stop passing me around like I'm some toy or something. I'm a person!"

Parvati walked over towards the group and looked down at the calendar. "What's this all about?"

Harry waved Parvati's question away. "They've decided that I'm going to date all three of them and they are fighting over the days."

"Technically we haven't agreed to let Cho in." Ginny pointed out.

"Technically we haven't agreed to anything." Pansy added coldly.

Parvati blinked. "Can I have him too?"

Harry looked at her in shock. "What?! Will you four stop pimping me out, already?!"

"I'm only teasing, stupid." Parvati laughed, walking away towards the other side of the Gryffindor table.

"I don't see why you two won't let me have him on Sundays."

"Maybe because they don't trust you." Hermione poked Cho on the tip of her nose.

Harry stood up. "I'm not agreeing to this! There's no way I can keep track of two girlfriends, or three for that matter. One is hard enough!"

"You can't hog Harry to yourselves!" Cho pulled away from Hermione and Ginny. "If you remember he was my boyfriend first."

"Technically he was my boyfriend first." Parvati spoke from the opposite side of the table.

Cho glared. "Fine. The what about this. We'll agree on two girlfriends, but all four of us compete for it. It's only fair."

"Whoa, who said I wanted to get involved in this." Parvati raised her hands.

"I didn't, and somehow that doesn't matter." Harry looked at her.

"This conversation just get more interesting by the minute." Pansy said with a sense of amusement in her voice.

Ginny looked at Pansy then at Cho. "You just weaseled your way into this, we never agreed to let you in! We don't have to agree to anything."

"I haven't really agreed to this either" Pansy added.

"I have every right to be with Harry as you two do! Besides, if you don't let me try, then I'll never leave you two alone!" Cho countered.

"I…really don't care. You three can have him, honest." Parvati added.

Cho placed her hands on her hips. "If you two are so fair, then you would agree to a contest!"

Dean, who was sitting next to Parvati, looked at Harry. "Just what is it that you do that gets all these girls? Is it cologne or something?"

Harry sighed heavily. "I don't want a lot of girls…just one."

Hermione stood up facing Cho. "And what kind of contest did you have in mind? And how will it be fair? There are four girls competing for two spots."

"I told you I don't want to be involved!" Parvati muttered.

"Isn't it obvious, Granger. We find someone neutral, and they set a contest up. First and second place gets girlfriend spots." Cho spoke as if Parvati hadn't said anything.

"Fine, Ron will do!" Ginny stood up also.

"He's your brother, and Hermione's friend… he's not neutral." Cho pointed out.

"What about what I want?" Harry said in a small voice. "Does anyone care that I don't want two girlfriends?"

"I do." Parvati said. "Especially if I'm one of them. You're nice and all, but I don't fancy sharing you with a bunch of other girls."

"Neither do I." Pansy blinked but seemed to amused by the conversation to let it die.

"I know!" Cho said and looked over to the Ravenclaw table and called over someone with a hand gesture. After a while a girl came over towards them which everyone reconized: Luna Lovegood. "She can do it."

"I can do what…. Hello Harry."

"Hi Luna."

"You can arrange a contest for Pansy, Ginny, Parvati, and myself to compete in." Cho continued.

"What do you mean?" She looked spaced out, as usual.

"They're being mental. They want to compete on who gets to date Harry." Parvati murmured "Whoever wins first and second place will get to be his girlfriends."

"Two girlfriends?" Luna wrinkled her nose. "Can anyone join the contest?"

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I wouldn't mind being Harry's girlfriend." Luna said plainly, as if she were talking in an idol conversation.

Harry sat down and slammed his head on the Gryffindor table. "Not another one…"

"Five is uneven…" Cho managed out, still in shock from the statement.

"I'm starting not to like this plan." Hermione sat down as well.

"Starting?" Harry laughed, but not in amusement.

"Is the whole school going to compete in this?" Parvati sighed.

Luna blinked. "Well if you four can compete over him, and he doesn't want you too, then why can't I? I have just as much right as you do."

"It's not like that, Luna!" Ginny muddled out. "You don't even like him like that."

"Don't assume you know how I feel, Ginny, it's quite rude." Luna kept her casual tone.

Harry shook his head. "I don't want a contest telling me who will be my girlfriend and who won't. Dating is one thing, but a relationship is another."

Pansy looked at the girls gathered around. "Listen to him. You can't force someone to be in a relationship."

Cho thought about it. "You're right. How stupid of us. Okay…new rule. If you haven't been a relationship with Harry before then you can't compete. That leaves Luna and Pansy out."

"Excuse me, I'm going out with him now." Pansy pointed out.

"I only went on one date with him…can I be excluded, please." Parvati begged.

Luna looked at Cho. "If she's dropping out, then I could take her place."

"No one is taking any places!" Harry declared. "I will not let a contest happen, that's that!"

"So sorry Cho." Ginny waved. "You can leave now."

"It isn't fair!"

"You just squeezed your way on Hermione's and my plan in the first place. I don't see what was fair about that." Ginny said.

"I never agreed to anything…" Pansy whispered to herself.

Luna shrugged. "Harry, if you want, you can lose those immature children fighting over you like jealous lunatics and try going out with someone sane."

"I can't imagine who that would be." Ginny laughed.

"Of course that would be me." Luna answered her as if Ginny was serious about her statement. "Think it over, Harry. When you're done with girls, try being with a woman." Then as causal as she came, she left, returning to her table.

"Woman…pphht." Parvati shook her head.

Harry grumbled to himself. "Why isn't Voldemort attacking again? I can use a little life threatening distractions right about now…"

"The whole point in sharing Harry as a boyfriend is that we have to like the other girls. Neither Pansy or I like you Cho." Ginny sat down next to Harry, turning her back on Cho as if she weren't there anymore.

"I don't hate Cho. I don't even know her." Pansy said. "In fact I don't even know you, Ginny."

"You two are just so selfish!" Cho stormed off.

"Ding-Dong the witch is dead." Hermione hummed. Only Harry seemed to understand the reference.

"Hey, you two can have him all to yourselves." Parvati held up her hands again. "I never wanted to be involved in the first place."

"What do you say Pansy?" Ginny looked hopeful "Would you be willing to share Harry with me. You know how much I adore him, and if he's going out with you, you have to be a good person. I really think this could work."

Harry sighed. "I really have no say in the matter?"

Ginny looked at Harry and tilted her head. "If you really don't want to, then I'll drop it. But I miss you, and I know you miss me too. It can't hurt to try, can it?"

Harry gave up. "I'll go along with what ever you and Pansy decide on, okay. But if you two start fighting or if it's too weird, I want this thing to be over."

Ginny squealed and hugged Harry. She let go of him and looked at Pansy with a puppy-dog face. "C'mon Pansy. It won't be terrible, I swear. We won't hurt each other by using Harry against the other, I know we won't!"

Pansy looked at Parvati, then at Harry. "I don't know... maybe." Pansy really was starting to look confused.

Ginny jumped over Harry and gave Pansy the same passionate hug as she gave Harry. Parvati gave Harry a sympathetic face but couldn't help but laugh at him.

"Get off!" Pansy pushed her off, finally showing emotion in the matter. "You really are serious aren't you. You're crazy. He's my boyfriend and we'll leave it as that!"


	11. Chapter 11

Harry Potter and the Unicorn's Horn

by

Glee-chan

This is a fan fiction based on the J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe. I do not take claim to own any characters, places, and magical objects that are not original. Most characters are the property of Rowling, and I do not intend to make money off of this fan fiction, merely just writing for fun. I don't have a million dollars to fork over, thus does not want any legal action to be taken. The events in this story take place in a Book 6 alternate timeline

Chapter Eleven

The next morning, it all seemed to dawn on Harry that he now Ginny had taken on the role of Cho. He really didn't know what he was supposed to do, or how to act. How would he act around Ginny now? He saw her far more than Pansy because she was in Gryffindor. What if she believed she could do this two girlfriend thing? Ginny had really changed ever since the body switch, and he was pretty sure it was Cho's fault. He also dreaded telling Ron, or his parents for that matter, the situation. It was just too weird, that even he did not understand it.

Harry opened his trunk and pulled out his Unicorn Horn, wondering slightly on what potion to mix it in with. He couldn't think of anything, so he set it on the bed while he changed. After he had gotten dressed, he grabbed his Unicorn horn and went down to the common room, wondering if Ron or anyone had ideas. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw both Ginny and Hermione were already up, sitting talking to each other by the fireplace. Harry's heart missed a beat as he wasn't sure what Ginny was going to do. Still he knew he could not avoid her until he went home on the Hogwarts Express later that week so he went over to them, with his hands in his pockets.

"Good morning." Harry felt awkward.

Hermione looked up, her face slightly sleepy. Ginny quickly got up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. As nice as the kiss was, it was wrong. Ginny seemed not to notice that he had stiffened and Hermione was just avoiding the situation.

"We were thinking that we'd have a picnic while we're here. We leave Hogwarts two days from now. Best not waste the time we have." Hermione suggested. Perhaps she was trying to save him from being along with Ginny.

"It'll be a long, Harry-less summer." Ginny continued.

"Err, sure." Harry looked from girl to girl. "Ginny, Pansy never agreed to go with your plan."

"She didn't disagree either." Ginny kissed him on the cheek again, then let go of his arm.

Hermione suddenly stood up "I'm going upstairs to change. Take care."

"I'll do my best." Ginny watched Hermione go.

Harry wished she hadn't left him alone with Ginny. Ginny seemed to notice he was uneasy and forced him to sit down in his favorite arm chair. Then she sat on his lap, facing him. She gave a wink and move her hips slightly, cause Harry to flinch.

"See, much different from when you were Parvati." She grinned. Harry knew that he must still look uncomfortable because her face became serious. "This will work, Harry. Pansy will see it will work too, so don't worry. She can kiss you in front of me and I can kiss you in front of her, and it won't matter."

"If you say so…" Harry was positive Pansy didn't agree to this the day before.

"Hermione thought a picnic would be nice on the day like this. It'd be a pity to waste the few days we have left at Hogwarts doing nothing, wouldn't you say?" Ginny nuzzled Harry's lap with her legs and hips.

"Ginny…I'm not at all comfortable with this double girlfriend business, you know that right?"

"Just give it a chance, okay. I know it seems weird but let's see how it goes." Ginny gave a small pout. "For me?'

"We should at least talk to Pansy about it again..." Harry grumbled.

Hermione came back down the stairs dress in a slightly pleaded Jean skirt and pink t-shirt. Ginny climbed off Harry after giving Hermione a look over. "I didn't know you were going to get dressed in something cute. Now I feel that I need to change."

"You're fine." Harry glanced from Hermione to Ginny.

"You're sweet, but lying. I'll be back in a minute." Ginny ran up the stairs.

Harry gave a sigh and leaned back into the arm chair. "I can't believe you of all people agreed to go with this, Hermione."

"It started because I thought the whole idea was stupid. When I sat down and thought about it I thought it could work. I guess life's funny that way." Hermione crossed over to him and sat on the arm chair facing him. "Having two girlfriends shouldn't be all that bad."

"I'm pretty sure Pansy didn't agree to this, Hermione. Ginny is acting like it's a done deal."

"Oh. I hope that we haven't pressured you into this."

"Of course you two have. Why would I agree to this other wise?"

"Good point." Hermione smiled. "Well I for one am going to make sure you don't regret this choice. I'll make sure you, Ginny, and Pansy work out."

After Ginny had come back down, dressed similar to Hermione, only that she had a baby blue tank-top, the three gathered items for the picnic and made their way out of the common room. The halls were strangely vacant, which Harry assumed that students where either in the Great Hall or in their common rooms. As they made their way out the castle, Hermione picked a place for them to place the blanket, then Ginny and Harry set up everything. But on sitting down Harry thought it was odd that no other student was out side.

"Don't you think it's weird that--" Ginny eyes had the look of confusion on them.

"No one is around, yeah, I was just thinking that." Harry looked at both girls.

Hermione seemed to have noticed this as well. "Did you see anyone in the hallways?"

"I didn't." Harry started to stand up. "I remember thinking it was weird."

Hermione picked up the blanket. "Let's hold off on the picnic until we've figured out what's going on."

As fast as they had come, they had packed everything up and were heading back into the castle. This time around they all noticed that no one was to be see. Most of the pictures where talking among themselves and ignored anything that Harry, Hermione, or Ginny would say to them. When they passed the Great Hall, there was no one inside, which was a sign that something was wrong.

"Let's go see Professor McGonagall." Hermione suggested.

The three made their way towards the Professor's office, which they found the door opened. The older women sat behind her desk, looking quite pale, as if she had been up all night crying. On seeing the three she quickly straightened herself and notion them to take seats.

"Yes?" She spoke in a voice that sounded weak.

"Are you alright Professor?" Hermione looked concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Dear child, haven't you heard?" McGonagall looked surprised at the three of them. "Professor Dumbledore was….was killed last night!"

"WHAT!?" Harry jumped out of his seat, dropping his Unicorn Horn. "Killed? Dumbledore…killed?"

"I'm afraid so Mr. Potter…Harry." McGonagall face became even more ashen than it was previously. "I'm dreadfully sorry no one has told you."

Ginny started crying silently in her chair, saying nothing, while Hermione in a state of shock just stared at Professor McGonagall. Harry shook his head, not believe what he was hearing. Dumbledore dead?

"How did it happen?" Harry demanded in a soft voice.

"Last night…Death Eaters broke into the Hogwarts. I'm afraid Draco Malfoy let them in. But it was our own Professor Snape that performed the killing curse, Avanda Kedavara. Everyone was taken by surprised."

"But…But Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard ever…."

"He was weakened… he went out on a mission for the Order of the Phoenix. He came back to the school injured. That was why he was unable to defend himself." McGonagall explained, as if she were reliving the events.

Harry shook his head. "I should have been there. I should have known."

McGonagall shook her head. "Harry it's not your fault! No one knew what Malfoy was up too. No one even suspected Snape to be a Death Eater."

Harry looked down at the Unicorn Horn, bent over and picked it up. He tossed it lightly on Professor McGonagall's desk. "This whole year I wasted my time on things like that. Contests and challenges, girls and Quidditch. All the while I should have been more aware… I knew in the back of my mind something was happening, but I didn't want to ruin the only normal year at Hogwarts I've had."

"H-Harry…" Ginny moaned.

"I knew Malfoy was acting strange. I knew it. Why didn't I follow up on my suspicion! He stopped playing Quidditch, he didn't bother teasing me, he broke up with Pansy..."

"It's not your fault." Hermione said.

"It is! It bloody well is my fault. I let my self get distracted. Distracted by romance when all the while Malfoy was planning on killing Dumbledore!"

"Harry Potter that is quite enough! You can not blame yourself for any of this!" McGonagall stood up.

Hermione grabbed Harry's hand. "She's right, Harry. If Professor Dumbledore where alive he'd say the same thing."

"If he were a live…" Harry muttered. "If he were…"

"Harry try and sit down." Ginny mumbled.

Harry sat down again. Professor McGonagall, grief stricken sat down as well. "I know he was like family to you, Harry. He was like family to all of us. But I believe Albus would say that it does not do to dwell on the past. I'm sure there were many things that all of us could have, should have, would have done if we had known, but we didn't. And there's no changing that fact."

Harry looked down at his feet. She probably was right. Feeling sorry for himself was not what Dumbledore would have wanted him to do. But still he felt that he could not just take this news sitting down. He wanted to do something, to take revenge on Malfoy, anything. He had to do something. He glanced up from his feet glancing slightly at the Unicorn Horn, then moved his eyes up towards Professor McGonagall.

"…if we had known… change….past." Harry muttered.

Hermione glanced at Harry with tear stained eyes. "What are you talking about, Harry."

"Professor," Harry ignored Hermione. "What if we sent ourselves a message… a message to the past?"

"Mr. Potter, you know as well as I do that time is something that wizards should not mettle in."

Hermione nodded. "Remember, terrible things happen to wizards that tamper with time."

"I'm not talking about one of us going back, but sending a messages…something warning us of what will happen."

McGonagall shook her head. "Are you talking about giving a message to our past selves telling of the events in the future? It won't work."

"Why not?" Harry protested.

"Think of it this way Harry," Ginny finally found her voice. "If you were to get a message now that told you some complete nonsense, would you believe it? If yesterday you got a letter saying Dumbledore was going to die, could you honestly say you would believe it."

"Err…I guess I wouldn't." Harry sighed. "But there has to be some other way… something we can do, one event we can change so that I'll be more aware of things."

Hermione blinked. "I really can't think of anything that would work Harry. If Professor Dumbledore wanted you to be involved he would have let you in the beginning of the school year."

McGonagall eyes widened. "I can't believe I'm going along with this scenario but if I were to write a letter to Mrs. Weasley before school starts, telling her of how Dumbledore doesn't wish to impose on her by asking her to take Harry..."

"How will that help?" Ginny asked.

"You know your mother will be beside herself if she knew Dumbledore did not want Harry to stay are your home just because he thought he didn't want to inconvenient her."

"I see…naturally Mum would write Professor Dumbledore insisting that Harry stay at our house."

"I still don't see how that changes anything." Harry looked confused.

"Dumbledore fought with himself all this school year about letting you in on whatever it was he was doing all this time. But in the end he saw that you were happy enjoying a normal life, and decided against it. But, if a letter came to Dumbledore from an angry Mrs. Weasley, he'd feel obligated to bring you over to the Burrow himself. Once he decided on seeing you, then no doubt he'd probably talk to you about whatever it is he has been doing."

"That would make me closer to Dumbledore. I might be there when he needs help." Harry got the idea.

"It's amazing one simple event could change everything." Hermione muttered to herself.

"But Harry…" McGonagall looked serious. "If this works, everything that has happened from then to now would never have happened. We won't even remember this conversation. If I sent that letter back in time, Dumbledore could still very well die."

"But isn't it worth taking the chance?" Harry asked. "Because we're not directly affecting time, the worst that can happen is that I don't spend summer holiday at Cho's house. And believe me, that's a week I don't mind getting back."

McGonagall gave a small smile. "Fine. I will write Mrs. Weasley a letter, and use your Unicorn Horn to send it back in time. If all goes well then all of this never happened."

"Thank you Professor." Harry returned the smile.

"It will take time to brew the potion, Harry. Tonight at 8 is when I'll be sending the letter. You have until then to live a normal life, then who knows. Perhaps hardly nothing with change, perhaps everything will. I can not predict what will happen after I send the letter."

Harry tried not to think about how things would change hours from now. He would forget everything that had happened since school began. Would he even do anything differently? Would he still have this girl troubles and repeat the events of this timeline? Would he follow his hunch and investigate Malfoy? Would Dumbledore let him in on whatever plan he was doing? He wished they could do more, send more information. But he knew Hermione and Ginny were right. If he sent back details of Dumbledore's death back to his past self, he knew he would think it was a hoax. How terrible would he feel afterwards, on not acting on the information and Dumbledore dies because his inaction? As around about as this current plan was, it probably was the best they could do.

Ginny and Hermione had forced him to stay with them in the girls dormitory. Thankfully they shared a room only with Parvati and Lavender. Lavender was gone somewhere with Ron, and Parvati was not there. He sat on Hermione's bed, trying to not think about how things would change, and focused on how much nicer the girls dorms were than the boys.

"H-Harry." Ginny looked slightly shy. "Since time will change it really doesn't matter what we do now. We can do anything we want to, no consequences."

"I haven't thought of that." Harry looked at her. "What did you have in mind?"

"Um…well…we're alone…in my room…"

Hermione stood up. "Wait a minute, you're not exactly alone here!"

"You can have a go after me, Hermione!" Ginny looked at her.

Hermione blushed. "I—I, I don't think this is something to be rushed into! Besides I'm not even his girlfriend!"

"When else are we going to do it. Come 8:00 we won't remember any of this, and things will be different!"

"Still…"

"You don't like going after me? Is that it?"

"No…it's …well its not very romantic saying 'Oh, we're going to do this now.' Something like that has to be spontaneous."

"Then why don't you spontaneously jump his bones, hell I'll even join in."

"No thanks. Just be cause we can do it, doesn't mean we should." Hermione looked pink.

"I don't feel comfortable doing it on command either, Ginny." Harry looked at both girls.

'Then how about a little inspiration?" Ginny pushed herself off her bed and walked over to Hermione, running her fingers through her hair. "Does this get you going?" Ginny leaned down and kissed Hermione.

Hermione quickly jumped back, so much so she fell off the bed. "Damn it! Ginny!"

"C'mon Hermione!" Ginny pouted. "If you get into it, Harry will like it."

"Just stop it …" Harry looked at Ginny then glanced at Hermione pulling herself off the ground.

"No way Ginny. Just because you're in the mood doesn't make everyone else in it."

Ginny sighed and walked over to her trunk, opening it up. Then pulling out something she walked back to both of them. Harry noticed at once that it was the love potion Harry had gotten her in Diagon Alley. "How about you and Harry take a swig of this and then you'll get in the mood."

"I…" Hermione's face remained pink. "Harry say something!"

"I really don't know what to say." Harry felt his face also getting warm. Why did Ginny have to get so weird all of a sudden?

"Damn it. It's is the end of the world, or this world. C'mon you two. We might as well. Act on impulse, do what you always wanted to. Why not? it doesn't matter anymore…it doesn't matter." Ginny took a drink from the love potion, then sloshed the bottle in Hermione's face. "Do you really have anything else to do?"

Ginny shoved the bottle down Hermione lips. She instinctively leaned back trying to fight it but ended up swallowing a swig on accident. "Gah, awful stuff. What the hell Ginny!"

She tossed the bottle to Harry. Harry looked down at the bottle wondering if he should take it or not. A few seconds later he looked at Hermione, and noticed she was breathing heavy, looking straight at him. She had the same look in her eye that Ginny had. Harry knew that even if he did not take the potion they would be at him, regardless.

"I'm sorry Harry." hermione coughed. "The stupid love potion is making you seem..." She bit her bottom lip.

Hermione climbed back on her bed and crawled on top of Harry, her lips meeting his neck. Ginny in the meantime also got on the bed, and started licking his ear lobe. Harry juked and pulled himself back, pulling the girls off of him in the process. This was just frightening.

"He needs some courage juice, Hermione!" Ginny pulled the Love Potion from Harry's hand.

"Let me give it to him!" Hermione tugged at the bottle.

But at the that same moment, the bottle popped out of Hermione's and Ginny's hands, and soared in the air, smashing over the door jam just above Parvati. She gasped, looking up in shock, as love potions rained all over her. Parvati screamed then coughed, wiping her face with her sleeves.

"You messed up my shirt, Hermione!" Parvati screamed, then glanced at Harry. "Why are you in here?"

"It's complicated…" Harry pulled himself off Hermione's bed and stepped slowly for the door.

Hermione went off the bed quickly. "Please don't go! What Ginny said is right. The world is ending, why not have this one night?"

Harry took another step backwards, then glanced again at Parvati. "I think that love potion has gone to her…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Parvati was tugging at her shirt. "Oh, this shirt's all wet. If I don't take it off I could catch something. Oh…goodness, almost everything is wet"

"Errr…right…"

"Would you mind keeping me warm while I wait for my clothes to dry?"

Harry stumbled and pushed his way towards the door. "Okay… I'm going to go now, somewhere far away, and wait for everyone to come to their senses."

"Oh no, you're not getting away!" Ginny jumped over Hermione's bed and ran towards the door.

She tugged on his arm. Just as he got out of her grip, while Parvati grabbed his other arm. Ginny regained control of the arms he lost previously, and Hermione grabbed Harry's waist. They all dragged him back to the closest bed and flung him on it. Before Harry could move, Hermione pulled out her wand and shouted "Stupefy!"

Harry quickly found himself stunned, and unable to move anything but his face and mouth. "Hermione, undo this spell right now!"

"I'm afraid I forgot the counter spell." Hermione said coyly.

Parvati looked at Hermione. "Good job, now how is he going to touch me when he's stunned!?"

"He'll won't be doing the touching, we will!" Ginny grinned.

Hermione started yanking at Harry's pants legs. "You get his shirt Parvati."

"Stop it right now!" Harry tried to squirm but the spell made him unable to.

"Whoa, there's a reason he's 'captain' of the Quidditch team." Ginny giggled has Hermione finished pulling off Harry's pants and underwear.

Harry's eyes drifted to the clock in the room, hoping it was near 8. It was 7:20. Harry felt his stomach flip. But soon that was not all he felt. Hermione's hands are rubbing him tenderly below the hips. He closed his eyes.

"I said stop!"

"My word. It that your wand or are you happy to see me!" Hermione giggled.

"Wait, this isn't fair." Parvati was pulling on her shirt. "He's upset that he's the only one naked."

"I know. It's completely unfair." Hermione laughed, and started pulling off her t-shirt.

"I want him first!" Parvati pushed Hermione out of the way.

"No you don't, I get him first!" Ginny shouted.

"What are you going to do to stop me?" Parvati looked lustfully at both Hermione and Ginny.

"You're dead!" Hermione grabbed Parvati tackled each other, falling of the bed. The two started yanking off clothes and they rolled all over each other on the ground.

"Guess that means I get you." Ginny climbed on top of Harry.

"What the hell is all this?" Lavender was suddenly at the door. her face went white at the sight before her, then she looked down and saw the spilled love potion bottle on the floor."

"Help me Lavender!" Harry yelped, as Ginny was pulling off her shirt.

Lavender blushed as she pointed her wand and gave the counter-curse.

Quickly Harry leaped off the bed, grabbing his pants, and running out of the room. Lavender leaned out of his way as he passed her, then stepped back, shutting the door behind them. "H-Harry… are you okay?" Lavender looked at him with a pink face.

Harry, who was putting on his pants, only nodded. "I don't know what would happen if you hadn't come. Those girls were acting crazy."

"I somehow have a strange idea of what they had planned." Lavender watched him zip up his pants. "Ron told me that out of every 100 bottle of Love Potion his brothers sell, one is Lust Potion. Ron said that Fred and George think it's funny to pull pranks on their own customers."

"It's safe to say Ginny had Lust Potion." Harry breathed. "Although I think she wasn't far from it before she took the potion."

Lavender looked at the closed door. "I wonder why they haven't chased us out?"

The two gave each other strange looks. Harry coughed. "I saw Hermione attack Parvati when Parvati was trying to get to me… do you think they are… I mean… all three of them…"

Harry looked down at his feet, suddenly feeling pain that must had always been there but he had just noticed. The glass from the Lust Potion bottle had cut his feet. "Ouch. I better get to my room and get cleaned up…maybe get some clothes while I'm at it."

"Y-Yeah… that might be good." Lavender blushed.

"Thanks for your help, Lavender."

"No problem….just don't tell Ron I saw you…um… you know… naked."

"Yeah, that was the first thing I was going to tell him." Harry said sarcastically, waved and limped his way towards the boys dormitory.

Harry opened the door to his room and once again saw only Dean and Seamus sitting on a bed playing Wizards Chest. They looked up and saw Harry, walking in with just pants on and bloody feet and just stared at him much like they did when he came into the room as Parvati. Harry didn't say a word to them and went to his trunk, opening it up, and pulled out a change of clothes and his handy first-aid kit.

The boys turned around as Harry changed. When he was finished he fixed his feet using charmed Band-Aids, then he places shoes on his feet and made his way towards the door. As he left he gave the two a wave with his back still turned towards them. He didn't see it but he knew the boys both waved back with a perplexed look on their faces.

He made his way back down tot he common room, where he could await 8:00. Ron was sitting downstairs, with Lavender near his favorite armchair. He joined them, sitting across from them. Ron seemed to notice a strange silence between his girlfriend and his best friend.

"What's going on between you too?"

"Oh…it's nothing." Lavender looked down her face went pink again.

Harry sighed. "I accidentally bought Ginny Lust Potion."

"Wha--?"

"Remember in Diagon Alley when I bought everyone something? I bought Ginny Love Potion. It turns out that the Love Potion was really Lust Potion."

"Bloody hell." Ron almost turned white. "Is that why you have scratches all over your face?"

"I…I guess so." Harry did not even realize that he had scratches. "Thankfully Lavender saved me from what would have become a weird free for all between your sister, Hermione, and Parvati."

Ron swallowed. "You mean they're upstairs now…still under the affects of Lust Potion?"Harry and Lavender nodded their heads simultaneously.

"Mum is going to kill Fred and George."

Harry glanced at the clock. 7:49. He wondered what he should do until it was time. Ron seemed to be preoccupied thinking about his sister being kinky with one of his best friends not to notice that Harry was acting nervous, looking at the clock every few moments. Lavender had however, as her eyes rarely left him when he came down stairs.

"What are you waiting for?" Lavender could not take it anymore.

"8:00." Harry said bluntly.

"What happens at 8:00?" Lavender pressed.

"Change."

Ron shook his head, clearly getting the image of his sister making out with Hermione out of his brain. His face was a little green. "Change? What change?"

Harry was not sure he had time enough to explain the situation, he really did not have time for anything. "Let's just say that the events that are happening upstairs won't happen again." He looked at the clock again. 7:56.

"Harry, now isn't the time to play cryptic with me." Ron looked flustered. "Just tell me what's happening."

"It won't matter come 4 minutes from now, Ron, you won't remember, and neither will no one else. Everything that's happened this year will not have happened. I'm going to make sure that Dumbledore lives." Harry quickly said.

"You…You're using that Unicorn Horn, aren't you?" Lavender caught on. "You can't! You can't just tamper with everyone's lives like that Harry!"

"I'm not using it. I gave it to Professor McGonagall." He saw Lavender open her mouth but he interrupted her. "Look, if you're worried about not being with Ron, then don't. It can still happen. We're only changing one thing, and that's me not spending the summer with Cho."

"Oh." Lavender looked relieved. "I don't see how that will do any good."

Harry glanced at the clock again. 7:58 "I really don't have much time to explain. You've got two minutes before none of us remembers anything."

Harry stood up and started walking away from them, giving the two privacy. He walked out the portrait entrance and started walking down the hall, walking towards a window. He looked outside, then pulled his watch arm up, glancing down. 7:59 and the seconds were ticking away. He had to try something, he had to somehow remember about Dumbledore.

He closed his eyes and tried to think really hard. Snape is going to kill Dumbledore. Snape is going to kill Dumbledore. Snape is going to kill Dumbledore. He thought over and over. Then, as if the sound was ear drum shattering he heard it. His watch beeped, indicating that a new hour had arrived. 8:00.

Harry thought one last time: You have to remember, Snape is going to kill Dumble--

Harry sat asleep in a chair in his room, snoring loudly. His head rested on the cold window, his glasses askew. It was night, and Harry sat in his chair by the window because of a letter he had received from Professor Dumbledore. He wanted to come and collect him at midnight, and take him to the Weasley's. In his sleep induced mind, Harry thought he could hear his own voice whispering something, but before he could decipher it he was awaken by the lights in Privet Drive suddenly going out. Harry jumped up spastically, knocking over his chair. Dumbledore must be here.

The End.


End file.
